Spirit Airlines is taking flight to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in anticipation of the renowned International Balloon Fiesta in October. The ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) is introducing new daily routes from both Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX) to cater to the influx of visitors for the event. These additional flights will commence in early October and run through mid-month, marking a significant expansion for Spirit in Albuquerque.
Currently, Spirit’s only scheduled service to Albuquerque connects with Las Vegas. The new routes, launching on October 2nd, will operate daily between Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) and both DFW and LAX until October 15th. Spirit plans to utilize its Airbus A321neos for the DFW-ABQ route, while employing both the A321neo and the A320 for the LAX-ABQ route, with the A320 operating on select dates.
With this move, Spirit Airlines will directly challenge Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines, which currently dominates the DFW-ABQ route. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, American Airlines has scheduled 431 flights on this route, using four different aircraft types: the A320, A321, Boeing 737-800, and the Embraer E175 (operated by American’s regional subsidiary, Envoy Air). The new competition from Spirit Airlines is expected to shake up the Albuquerque air travel market and offer travelers more options for reaching the city during the popular Balloon Fiesta.
