Frontier Adds 20 Routes, Targeting Spirit Hubs Amid Rival’s Turmoil

Frontier Airlines said it will launch 20 new routes this winter, many from airports that serve as hubs for financially troubled rival Spirit Airlines. The expansion, announced 26 Aug., is part of Frontier’s plan to become the leading low-fare carrier in the 20 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Flights will roll out between 20 Nov. 2025 and 13 Feb. 2026 from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Detroit, Houston, Baltimore, Dallas and Charlotte, among other cities. Domestic links such as Fort Lauderdale–Chicago and Detroit–Houston will be joined by international services including Baltimore–Cancún and Houston–Guatemala City. Introductory one-way fares start at $29, the carrier said. The move heightens pressure on Spirit Airlines, which emerged from bankruptcy in March and has warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to remain in business over the next year. Spirit plans to furlough nearly 300 pilots beginning 1 Nov. and is weighing asset sales as weak leisure demand and excess U.S. seat capacity squeeze yields. Frontier Chief Executive Officer Barry Biffle said the carrier aims to preserve affordable options in markets where capacity may shrink. Because Frontier and Spirit overlap on roughly 35 % of their capacity, analysts see Frontier well positioned to capture Spirit’s passengers if the rival retrenches or shuts down. Frontier shares climbed 11 % after the announcement, while Spirit gained about 6 %.