Florida’s Hometown Airline is leading the Orlando International Airport’s resurgence with newly-announced plans to offer more than 80 departures per day at MCO by the end of 2021. Today South Florida-based Spirit Airlines (NYSE: SAVE) unveiled the largest schedule it has ever operated from Orlando, including new flights to destinations stretching from New Hampshire to the Dominican Republic along with reinstating the balance of its international operation.
Spirit confirmed plans to restore pre-pandemic flights to Cartagena, Colombia (CTG); Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA); Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ); Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP) and San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL) while increasing San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) to daily service. The airline’s full reinstatement of its international schedule comes on the heels of a complete reactivation of its domestic network from MCO that was finished in time for the summer travel season. New domestic options include Louisville (SDF); Manchester, N.H. (MHT); Miami (MIA); Milwaukee (MKE) and St. Louis (STL).
Altogether, Spirit Guests will have roughly 20 additional flights and 10 new destinations to choose from each day compared to two years ago. The airline’s Orlando operations will be 45 percent larger than they were at the end of 2019 once the new routes and resumptions come online.
“Florida’s Hometown Airline continues to invest at Orlando International Airport by offering daily flights to new domestic and international destinations,” said Spirit Airlines Vice President of Network Planning John Kirby. “With over 80 flights each day to more than 50 cities, Spirit Airlines provides our Central Florida Guests even more nonstop options including 16 popular vacation destinations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Spirit’s Investment in Orlando
Spirit’s growth at Orlando International makes it the airport’s largest international airline and second largest airline overall, which means more jobs at the airport and behind the scenes.
- Last month the airline opened its second Operations Control Center (OCC), which brings another 75 positions to Orlando and joins an existing South Florida facility that manages the flow of planes throughout the carrier’s network 365 days a year. The Orlando OCC joins Spirit’s existing crew base and state-of-the-art inflight training facility at MCO.
- This year, 16 new fuel-efficient Airbus A320neo planes will join the airline’s Fit Fleet™, which is among the youngest in the industry. Next year, Spirit plans to accept another 21 new planes.
- Spirit is welcoming Guests back to MCO with a refreshed ticket lobby featuring a bold new look and digital signage to help international and domestic travelers find the right check-in counter quickly. The airline worked with Synect Media to update the space and ensure a smooth journey from curb to gate as it continues to grow in Orlando.
Spirit’s Elevated Guest Experience
The Orlando expansion arrives alongside Spirit’s continuing commitment to invest in the Guest, which entails a number of initiatives aimed at delivering the best value in the sky.
- An all-new cabin interior with ergonomically-designed seats and more usable legroom, featuring the best deal in the sky with our unique Big Front Seat™
- Fast onboard Wi-Fi that allows Guests to watch content from their favorite streaming services**
- Top-tier on-time performance
- Spirit’s Signature Service
- The new Free Spirit® loyalty program with the fastest way to earn rewards and status***
Recognition
Spirit continues to garner awards and recognition in 2021. Spirit is one of only three U.S. airlines listed on FORTUNE’s 2021 list of World’s Most Admired® Companies, which measures companies with the strongest reputation within their industries. The carrier is a Gold Stevie® Award winner for its groundbreaking self-bag drop system with biometric photo matching, which speeds the check-in process and reduces face-to-face contact. Spirit also earned “Platinum” status in the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) Health Safety initiative powered by SimpliFlying.
Guest Safety
Spirit’s commitment to Safe Travels includes enhanced cleaning, advanced air filtration and a health acknowledgment at check-in. Airlines and airports remain subject to federal law requiring Guests to wear an appropriate face covering at airports and on flights. Please visit Spirit’s COVID-19 Information Center for more information on safety enhancements.