Frontier adding non-stop service from PBIA to Denver; JetBlue cuts 12 Fort Lauderdale routes
Frontier Airlines is adding a direct flight from Palm Beach International Airport to Denver in November, the ultra low-cost carrier announced Tuesday.
Frontier is the only airline offering direct service between the two cities and will offer introductory rates as low as $69.
The announcement comes less than a month after a collapse of the Colorado-based carrier's attempted deal to merge with rival Spirit Airlines. JetBlue Airlines won the merger rights for $3.8 billion after a months-long bidding war.
“This expansion is further proof of our continued commitment to both Denver and West Palm Beach,” said Frontier Vice President Daniel Shurz “We see the demand for our ‘Low Fares Done Right’ in both markets, and we’re honored to be the only carrier offering this exciting new service. With the addition of this new route, Frontier will fly to seven Florida cities from Denver, the most we’ve ever served.”
Frontier has plans to increase capacity this year and into 2023 at a time when travelers are cutting back on expenses because of recession fears. It plans on trimming basic fares to lower prices and open more new routes.
Frontier recently launched nonstop service to four cities – Buffalo, Baltimore/Washington, Hartford and Kansas City – from Las Vegas and is planning on a new 120,000-square-foot ground boarding facility in Denver. Three of its top 10 airports (based on annual departures and seat count) are in Florida: Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers.
Also on Tuesday, Frontier announced five new international routes from Atlanta to Nassau, Bahamas; San Salvador, El Salvador; Kingston, Jamaica; San Jose, Costa Rica; and Liberia, Costa Rica.
JetBlue suspends 12 Fort Lauderdale routes
Meanwhile, JetBlue, which also serves PBIA, is suspending 12 routes out of Fort Lauderdale, according to a recent report.
Those include Aruba; Cartagena, Colombia; Chicago; Cleveland; Grand Cayman; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Turks and Caicos; Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago); Portland; Seattle; and St. Maarten.
The airline made cuts at numerous other airports as well, including Newark, N.J., and Los Angeles.
Travelers with existing reservations for these affected routes will be re-accommodated on other JetBlue flights, or will be offered a full refund.
Major U.S. airlines have been forced to cut capacity because of staffing shortages as well as higher fuel and labor costs.
Amtrak launches sale on Auto Train from Florida to Northeast
In other transportation news Tuesday, Amtrak announced it is launching a fare sale on the Auto Train, which runs from Sanford to Lorton, Va.
Tickets, from as low as $39, plus the cost of your vehicle, are available for purchase from Aug. 16-23.
The Auto Train trip generally takes about 17 hours.
The Amtrak Auto Train offers daily, non-stop service between Lorton, Va. (near Washington, D.C.), and Sanford, Fla. (near Orlando). Customers can skip I-95 and travel with their vehicles, including cars, vans, SUVs, motorcycles and even small boats or jet-skis.
It is the only such service in the United States and eliminates nearly 900 miles of driving between the Northeast and all points in Florida.
James Coleman is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at jcoleman@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Frontier adds non-stop service from PBIA to Denver; JetBlue cuts routes
