United Airlines adds flights in Spirit markets

Published on Sep 4, 2025, 1:47 pm CDT

5 min read

United Airlines will add capacity in 15 Spirit markets beginning January 6, 2026, including two new routes from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Columbia, South Carolina, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. The move comes as Spirit works through a second Chapter 11 filing in a year and pares its route map, while Frontier and other rivals step in. United framed the adds as contingency, saying the goal is to minimize disruption if Spirit exits markets suddenly.

Key Points

Why it matters: United Airlines adds flights in Spirit markets to cushion potential schedule gaps.
Travel impact: Two new EWR links, plus more daily flights on high-demand leisure routes in January.
What's next: Tickets go on sale September 4, with the first flights set for January 6, 2026.
Frontier is also ramping up with 20 plus new routes overlapping Spirit's footprint.
Spirit plans to leave 11 cities in October and has scrapped a Macon launch.

Snapshot

United will launch EWR to Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) and EWR to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA), and it will upgauge aircraft between Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to support connections into the expanded schedule. Across the network, United adds an extra daily roundtrip on select city pairs, while also inserting new weekly frequencies from Houston to Guatemala City, San Salvador, and San Pedro Sula. United's Patrick Quayle said the carrier is acting to give travelers reliable alternatives if Spirit abruptly halts flying. The timing lands just as Spirit pares 11 U.S. cities in early October. Frontier, meanwhile, is adding dozens of winter routes in overlapping leisure markets.

Background

Spirit's second Chapter 11 filing this year has accelerated a strategic retrenchment, with exits planned in 11 cities the week of October 2 and several network adjustments. In parallel, competitors are using the window to seed capacity. Frontier's new-route blitz targets many of Spirit's traditional strongholds, while United is concentrating adds around Florida, Las Vegas, and gateway connectivity from Newark and Chicago. For context, U.S. network shifts have been steady this week, from cuts like Delta ends Austin to Midland flights to growth plays like Breeze Akron-Canton to Florida flights. Travelers should expect rolling fare and schedule changes as airlines test demand and backfill Spirit capacity.

Latest Developments

United adds EWR links and beefs up leisure frequencies

United will open two new routes, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) and EWR to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA). It will add one extra daily roundtrip on selected flows such as Houston to Orlando, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Miami, Chicago to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, and Las Vegas, Newark to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, and Los Angeles to Las Vegas. United will also add three new weekly flights from Houston to Guatemala City and San Salvador, and one new weekly flight from Houston to San Pedro Sula. To expand feed, United plans larger aircraft between Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Tickets go on sale September 4 for travel beginning January 6, 2026.

Frontier stacks competitive routes as Spirit retrenches

Frontier has layered on 20 plus new winter routes centered on Florida, the Caribbean, and Central America, many in metros where Spirit has long competed. The latest tranche includes service to Providenciales and a return to Nassau, alongside new links from major U.S. gateways. The additions, announced just days apart from United's moves, underscore how rivals are repositioning capacity toward markets Spirit is shrinking.

Spirit confirms city exits and scrubs Macon launch

As part of its restructuring, Spirit will exit 11 U.S. cities in early October and cancel a planned Macon, Georgia launch scheduled for mid-October. The pullback focuses resources on core stations while reducing fleet and costs. Spirit says tickets and loyalty points remain valid as the reorganization proceeds.

Analysis

United's plan is a classic capacity backfill, but the candor is unusual. By explicitly tying the adds to a potential Spirit shutdown, United signals it intends to capture stranded demand quickly, reduce day-of-travel chaos, and protect its own hub flows. The choice of EWR to CAE and CHA is strategic, offering small-city connectivity into a global hub while testing yield in former Spirit touchpoints. Larger aircraft on ORD to LGA helps pull more Midwest and East Coast travelers into the Florida and Las Vegas banks, where leisure elasticity is highest and winter margins can be improved with incremental seats.

Frontier's expansion complicates pricing. If both United and Frontier grow in the same leisure corridors, expect promotional fares to appear, then normalize as schedules settle. For travelers, the near-term upside is more choice and, potentially, lower winter prices in Florida and Vegas markets. The downside is volatility. If Spirit's restructuring accelerates or stalls, schedules could shift again within weeks. United's measured approach, with added weekly Central America flying and selective daily frequency bumps, looks designed to flex up or down without stranding aircraft. Watch for slot and gate constraints at EWR and LGA to shape how much of this capacity sticks into spring.

Final Thoughts

United Airlines adds flights in Spirit markets with a mix of new EWR spokes, added leisure frequencies, and upgauged ORD to LGA capacity. The timing aligns with Spirit's October retrenchment, giving travelers alternatives and preserving winter connectivity. Expect more tweaks through the fall as carriers test demand and adjust fares. For those booked on Spirit in the affected cities, check options on United and Frontier once schedules load fully for January 6, 2026, when United Airlines adds flights in Spirit markets at scale.