United and Frontier Airlines have recently announced a significant number of new routes, taking advantage of the current struggles of Spirit Airlines. Spirit has filed for bankruptcy for the second time in a year and has been forced to sell assets, lay off pilots, and reduce routes in an attempt to cut costs. The uncertainty surrounding Spirit’s future has prompted other airlines to add more options for customers.

United Airlines announced on Thursday that it will be adding routes to 15 cities, including popular destinations like Las Vegas, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale. These new routes are set to begin in January and will provide alternative options for Spirit customers in case the airline goes out of business. Frontier Airlines, who has previously attempted to acquire Spirit, also announced 22 new routes across the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. This includes new service from major hubs like Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Chicago, as well as new international routes to destinations such as Honduras and Guatemala.

Spirit Airlines has not officially announced any plans to cease operations, but they have warned investors that they may not survive another year without additional financial help. The fate of Spirit’s assets and capacity will determine which airlines will benefit the most from their struggles. Savanthi Syth, an analyst at Raymond James, believes that Frontier Airlines has the most to gain as they overlap with Spirit on 39% of their capacity. Other airlines such as JetBlue, Southwest, American, and Delta may also benefit from the situation and could potentially purchase some of Spirit’s aircraft.

This is not the first time that Spirit Airlines has faced financial challenges. They have not been profitable since 2019 and filed for bankruptcy last November. They emerged from bankruptcy in March but were forced to seek protection again last week. CEO Dave Davis stated that more work needs to be done to position the airline for the future. In August, Spirit announced that they may not survive beyond a year, and a few weeks later, they announced furloughs for hundreds of pilots.

In addition to cutting routes, Spirit has also drastically reduced their capacity by 24% compared to the same period last year. They have also announced that they will end service in 12 markets, including cities like San Diego, Salt Lake City, and Portland. This has opened up opportunities for other airlines to expand their own routes and potentially acquire some of Spirit’s aircraft.

In conclusion, United and Frontier Airlines have taken advantage of Spirit Airlines’ financial struggles by adding new routes to their schedules. This provides more options for customers in case Spirit goes out of business. Other airlines may also benefit from Spirit’s challenges, and the fate of their assets and capacity will determine who will gain the most.