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Spirit just began flying from Nashville, and it's already adding 3 more routes

Oct. 10, 2019
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3 min read
Spirit plane at gate in ATL JT Genter
Spirit just began flying from Nashville, and it's already adding 3 more routes
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Spirit Airlines cannot get enough of connecting dots on its map it seems, with Nashville joining the list of cities gaining even more new routes next year.

The ultra-low-cost-carrier began service to Nashville (BNA) Thursday with flights to Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Las Vegas (LAS) and New Orleans (MSY). Orlando (MCO) flights begin on Friday, and Tampa (TPA) flights on Nov. 5.

But that’s not enough for Spirit. The Florida-based airline will add three more routes from the city. Service to Cancun (CUN) begins Feb. 27, while flights to Los Angeles (LAX) and Newark (EWR) start March 12, Spirit said Thursday. The Los Angeles and Newark routes will be daily. Cancun route will operate thrice-weekly on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Related: Spirit Airlines rolls out new routes, with Austin up next

The additions are just the latest expansion announcement from fast-growing Spirit in recent weeks. Just a day earlier, Spirit announced three new routes from Austin (AUS) — which also includes a new route to Nashville. And last week Spirit revealed plans for two new routes from San Juan (SJU) in Puerto Rico.

For Nashville, Spirit cited Nashville's growing market in making its latest expansion announcement there.

“As one of the fastest growing cities in the country, the Music City is a perfect match for America’s fastest growing airline,” said John Kirby, vice-president of network planning at Spirit, in a statement. “With our low fares, non-stop destinations, and signature service, we bring the best value in the air to our guests in Nashville.”

Spirit aims to stimulate markets with its a la carte pricing that allows travelers to book very cheap seats and buy whatever extra amenities they want for a fee.

Related: Spirit Airlines unveils new seats that it says will make for happier passengers

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However, Spirit is taking on discount giant Southwest Airlines on all of its new routes from Nashville. Southwest also flies to Newark but will drop the route on Nov. 5, several months before Spirit begins flights on the route. Southwest's move comes as it ends all service from the New Jersey airport.

In Nashville, Delta Air Lines also wants a greater share of the market, naming the city one of its domestic focus cities in June. The Tennessee capital has historically been dominated by American Airlines and Southwest.

Nashville is among the fastest growing airports in the U.S. Passenger numbers grew at a compound annual rate of 7.3% to 15.9 million from 2014 to 2018, U.S. Department of Transportation data via Diio shows.

To accommodate that growth, the airport is in the midst of a multi-million dollar expansion, dubbed "BNA Vision." The plans include an expanded terminal, new parking garage, and six new domestic gates.

Nashville International Airport's "BNA Vision" expansion plans. (Image courtesy of Nashville Airport)

In addition to Southwest, Spirit will compete from Nashville with American and Delta to Los Angeles; Delta to Cancun; and United Airlines to Newark, Diio schedules show.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • 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.
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  • $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.