Border Airlines will launch four new routes this spring, targeting destinations where CEO James Dempsey believes Spirit Airlines’ service cuts have created new opportunities. The spirit is in the process of emerging from a second bankruptcy.
Frontier will connect Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) with Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California; It will also connect Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Dulles International Airport (IAD) starting in May. In June, flights will begin operating between Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and Nashville International Airport (BNA).
Here are the details of the new Frontier routes:
- DFW-EWR: daily since May 5
- DFW-SNA: Four times a week starting May 21
- IAD-FLL: Diary since May 21
- LAS-BNA: Four times a week starting June 11
Of those routes, Spirit currently serves two: DFW-EWR and LAS-BNA. Starting this summer, the bankrupt discount airline will reduce its year-round service on the latter route to seasonal, according to scheduling data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Dempsey, speaking at an investor conference Tuesday, highlighted Las Vegas as a market where Frontier is seeing benefits from reductions in Spirit’s schedule.
“The structural change and benefit to Frontier has occurred,” he said. “You’re certainly seeing it in the western United States, where Spirit historically connected a lot of traffic through Las Vegas… You’ve seen them deconstruct that network considerably.”
Frontier seats were up 6% in LAS in the first quarter compared to 2025, while Spirit seats were down 68%, Cirium data shows.
Spirit recently revealed plans for emerges from its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring as a significantly smaller airline. The South Florida-based airline plans to shed nearly two-thirds of its fleet and focus its route map on four major markets: Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and the New York City area.
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The border has proposed merger with Spirit at least twice. JetBlue surpassed it in 2022, and then another offer was made. refused in 2025.
The new routes come at a time of change for Frontier. The Denver-based budget airline has added a variety of premium seats to its planes, from first class to UpFront Plus seats with extra legroom with middle seats blocked. It has also added more benefits for the elite. border miles Members of the loyalty program.
Traveler response to Frontier’s premium investments is “phenomenally good,” Dempsey said Tuesday. However, he sees more opportunities to increase loyalty among travelers by investing in and improving Frontier Miles, as well as the airline’s co-branded credit card.
“We have a very immature loyalty program,” he said. “We haven’t invested in it as much as we should.”
In terms of onboard Wi-Fi, Dempsey said it would arrive on Frontier planes in 2027.
“We are not in [travelers’] We will make decisions if we do not have connectivity,” he said.
Frontier has previously said that Introduce an onboard connectivity provider. sometime this year.
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