Spirit Airlines grabs coronavirus opportunity, adds Orange County flights
Spirit Airlines is taking advantage of cuts by other carriers to add a third Los Angeles-area airport to its route map.
The South Florida-based discounter will add service to Orange County's John Wayne Airport (SNA) beginning Nov. 17, Spirit unveiled Tuesday. Spirit will offer a total of three daily flights to Las Vegas (LAS) and Oakland (OAK).
Tickets for the new Orange County flights are available on Spirit's website. Fares begin at $37.29 one-way to both Las Vegas and Oakland.
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The Orange County addition comes as other airlines have sharply curtailed flights to the airport amid cuts related to the coronavirus pandemic. The Southern California gateway will handle roughly half the number of flights in September than it did a year ago, according to Cirium schedules.
Flights to Orange County airport are governed by a 1985 agreement designed to limit noise for the surrounding communities. In addition to a strict curfew that limits flights to between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. local time, the total number of passengers is also capped with landing and takeoff rights divvied up annually to carriers.
These flight allocations can work both for and against airlines. For example, Spirit is able to add flights as other carriers have curtailed operations while, in 2018, Delta Air Lines was forced to suspend flights between New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Orange County when it lost a slot in the annual process.
Related: Spirit Airlines sues DOT for Southwest’s flights at Newark
Spirit has long pushed for greater access to capacity-constrained airports. These popular airports, like Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and Newark Liberty (EWR), are limited by things ranging from slots to available gates. Spirit went so far as to sue the Federal Aviation Administration last December to gain additional access at Newark.
The airline's new Orange County service also comes amid what is expected to be a challenging autumn for airlines. Fears of COVID-19 have curtailed most air travel with the expectation that those who are flying — mostly holidaygoers either going on vacation or to visit family — travel less after Labor Day.
"I see a lot of opportunity" in Orange County, Spirit vice president of network planning John Kirby told TPG. "It's not going to be a big market for us... [but] it's a nice complement to our existing LA Basin portfolio."
Related: Spirit Airlines calls June rebound an ‘outlier,’ could furlough nearly a third of staff
Spirit's new Orange County flights also come as the airline gears up for both schedule and staffing cuts this fall. The airline is flying just 55% of what it flew last year in September, less than what it flew in August. And Spirit has notified roughly 2,500 staff of possible furloughs though it expects the final number to be significantly less.
The carrier will offer twice-daily service between Orange County and Oakland, and once-daily service to Las Vegas. The latter flight will be timed to connect to flights to 15 other destinations across the U.S.
Spirit will compete with Southwest Airlines — the largest carrier at John Wayne in 2019 — on both routes to Las Vegas and Oakland from Orange County, Cirium schedules show. Frontier Airlines also flies between Las Vegas and Orange County.
Related: Spirit Airlines cuts August schedule, eyes possible furloughs as recovery stalls
Updated with Spirit's introductory Orange County fares.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.