Competitive issues are abound nationally in the proposed merger between Spirit and Frontier. But It is here in Florida, where the most overlap between the two airlines occurs, with approximately 60% of Spirit flights and 50% of Frontier flights touching the Sunshine State every day.

In Florida’s four largest airports, the danger of competitive balance being skewed is quite large. But it’s also true most routes have other competition, and the idea of a synergy of these two carriers being behemoth that carries passengers to the Sunshine State is very appealing.

Frontier’s five largest stations in March 2022:

1- Denver

2- Orlando

3- Las Vegas

4- Philadelphia

5- Tampa

Spirit’s five largest stations in March 2022:

1- Fort Lauderdale

2- Orlando

3- Las Vegas

4- Detroit

5- Miami

As noted above, both airlines are heavily dependent on traffic to/from Florida’s major airports.

Let’s look at Florida’s four major airports destination-wise as designated by the FAA:

Orlando International (MCO)

Bold indicates destination also served nonstop from MCO by an airline other than Spirit or Frontier – note this does NOT include nonstop service from SFB (Sanford Airport) on Allegiant. 

Frontier nonstop destinations from Orlando 

Aguadilla Albany, Antigua, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Belize City, Bloomington/Normal, Boston, Buffalo, Burlington, Cancún, Cedar Rapids, Charlotte, Chicago–Midway, Chicago–O’Hare, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Columbus–Glenn, Cozumel, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Des Moines, Detroit, El Paso, Fargo, Fayetteville/Bentonville, Fort Lauderdale Fort Myers, Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Harlingen, Harrisburg, Hartford/Springfield, Houston–Hobby Houston–Intercontinental, Huntsville, Indianapolis, Jackson (MS), Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Liberia (CR), Long Island/Islip, Louisville, Madison, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montego Bay, Nashville, Nassau, Newburgh, New Orleans, New York–LaGuardia, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Ontario, Pensacola, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Portland (ME), Providence, Providenciales, Punta Cana, Raleigh/Durham, Rochester (NY), San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose, San Juan, San Salvador, Santo Domingo–Las Américas, Sioux Falls, St. Louis, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Syracuse, Trenton, Wilmington (DE)

Spirit nonstop from Orlando: 

Aguadilla, Akron/Canton, Atlanta, Atlantic City, Austin, Baltimore, Bogotá, Boston, Cancún, Cartagena, Charleston (WV), Charlotte, Chicago–O’Hare, Cleveland, Columbus–Glenn, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Guatemala City, Hartford/Springfield, Houston–Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Latrobe/Pittsburgh, Louisville, Manchester (NH), Medellín–JMC, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montego Bay, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, Newark, New Orleans, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Ponce, Punta Cana, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San José de Costa Rica, San Juan, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, St. Louis, St. Thomas

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Miami International (MIA)

Bold indicates destination also served nonstop from MIA by an airline other than Spirit or Frontier 

Frontier from Miami

Aruba, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Cancún, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Guatemala City, Hartford/Springfield Las Vegas, Memphis, Montego Bay, Nassau, New York–LaGuardia, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Providenciales, Punta Cana, Raleigh/Durham, St. Louis, St. Thomas, San Juan, San Salvador, Santo Domingo–Las Américas, Trenton

Spirit from Miami

Atlanta, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Boston, Cali, Chicago–O’Hare, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Guatemala City, Hartford/Springfield, Houston–Intercontinental, Las Vegas, Medellín–JMC, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Myrtle Beach, Newark, New York–LaGuardia, Orlando, Philadelphia, Port-au-Prince, Raleigh/Durham, St. Thomas, San José (CR), San Juan, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, Santo Domingo–Las Américas, Tegucigalpa-Comayagua

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Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)

Bold indicates destination also served nonstop from FLL by an airline other than Spirit or Frontier 

Frontier from Fort Lauderdale

Albany, Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago–Midway, Green Bay, Long Island/Islip, Newburgh, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland (ME), Providence, Rochester (NY), Syracuse, Trenton 

Spirit from Fort Lauderdale 

Aguadilla, Armenia, Aruba, Atlanta, Atlantic City, Austin, Baltimore, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Boston, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cancún, Cap-Haïtien, Cartagena, Charlotte, Chicago–O’Hare, Cleveland, Columbus–Glenn, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Guatemala City, Guayaquil, Hartford/Springfield, Houston–Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Kingston, Las Vegas, Latrobe, Lima, Los Angeles, Louisville, Managua, Manchester (NH), Medellín–JMC, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montego Bay, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, Newark, New Orleans, New York–LaGuardia, Orlando, Panama City, Pensacola, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Port-au-Prince, Punta Cana, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, San José (CR), San Juan, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, Santiago de los Caballeros, Santo Domingo–Las Américas, St. Croix, St. Louis, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Tampa, Tegucigalpa-Comayagua

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Tampa International (TPA)

Bold indicates destination also served nonstop from TPA by an airline other than Spirit or Frontier – note this does NOT include nonstop service from PIE (St Pete/Clearwater Airport) on Allegiant. 

Frontier from Tampa

Albany, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago–Midway, Columbus–Glenn, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Long Island/Islip, Milwaukee, Newburgh, Newark, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Portland (ME), Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Rochester (NY), Syracuse, Trenton

Spirit from Tampa 

Akron/Canton, Atlanta, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago–O’Hare, Cleveland, Columbus–Glenn, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Hartford/Springfield, Houston–Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Latrobe, Louisville, Manchester (NH), Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, Newark, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Juan

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As noted above, most destinations served by either airline have competition and just about every city pair served by both carriers have a third airline flying it.