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Spirit Airlines plans for ‘several new cities’ next year

Oct. 24, 2019
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3 min read
SpiritA320neo9-16
Spirit Airlines plans for ‘several new cities’ next year
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Spirit Airlines continues its growth tear with plans to add “several new cities” amidst a double-digit expansion next year.

The South Florida-based ultra-low-cost-carrier aims to expand capacity by 17-19% year-over-year in 2020, including the addition of the aforementioned new points, said Spirit chief financial officer Scott Haralson during a quarterly earnings call on Thursday.

He did not say what cities Spirit is eyeing but executives did highlight Nashville (BNA) as a successful new market.

"Not only is it a growing leisure vacation destination, Nashville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. and we are excited to add it to our portfolio," said Matt Klein, chief commercial officer of Spirit, on the call.

The airline began service to Nashville with flights to five cities, including Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Las Vegas (LAS) earlier in October. It will add flights to Tampa (TPA) in November, and plans to connect the Middle Tennessee city to Austin (AUS), Cancun (CUN), Los Angeles (LAX) and Newark (EWR) in 2020.

Related: Spirit just began flying from Nashville, and it’s already adding 3 more routes

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Spirit brings low fares, but with a buffet of added fees for everything from carry-on bags to water onboard, wherever it flies. When asked in September who it saw as its main competitor, CEO Ted Christie told TPG that its competition was not another airline but anything else consumers could use their discretionary income for, like a new TV.

The airline is off to a strong start in 2020. In addition to the new Nashville routes, Spirit has already announced a bevy of new routes from Austin, Cancun and San Juan (SJU) for the new year. No new destinations have been announced yet.

Spirit will support its growth plans with deliveries of 21 new Airbus A321neo jets in 2020, its latest fleet plan shows.

The carrier aims to continue to grow by double-digits through the mid-2020s, Haralson said. This was exemplified in Spirit’s commitment for up to 150 A320neo family aircraft due from 2022-2027 on Wednesday.

Related: Spirit Airlines commits to buying up to 150 Airbus A320neo family jets

In addition to growing, Spirit is investing in new seats and cabins onboard its aircraft, inflight wi-fi, and plans to roll out a new loyalty program in the coming months.

“A lot of exciting things are happening for Spirit and our guests,” said Spirit CEO Ted Christie during the call.

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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

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.