Bright yellow narrowbodies will soon fly over the scenic streets of Charleston, as low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines announced the addition of Charleston International Airport to its route network. Beginning in April 2023, daily non-stop flights from Charleston to several cities will offer Charleston's residents easier access to the Northeast and beyond.

Spirit's three-route expansion

The Miramar-based carrier will offer flight services from Charleston to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and Philadelphia International Airport. All flights will commence on April 5th next year and are currently being ticketed as operating on the airline's Airbus A320 fleet.

Besides easier and more affordable access to the Northeast, Spirit Airlines also offers Charleston's residents more convenient international connection opportunities through Fort Lauderdale. The international airport is home to one of the budget carrier's most extensive operations and is its primary gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.

When paired with how Spirit Airlines has recently been expanding at Philadelphia Airport with more than five new non-stop routes launched this year and more than 30 daily flights, Charleston's residents are certainly in for quite the connectivity treat. The treat gets sweeter, as the Charleston-Philadephlia route will offer passengers an introductory fare of just $39 for one-way travel on any day.

As for flights to Fort Lauderdale and Newark, passengers can enjoy an introductory air ticket price starting at $49 one-way for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays only. Celebrating the new route addition was John Kirby, Vice President of Network Planning at Spirit Airlines, who highlighted:

"We're excited to connect the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina, with three of the most significant metro areas on the East Coast. Spirit's affordable fares and convenient, non-stop flights allow Guests to travel more often to visit friends and loved ones and explore Charleston's attractions, coastline, and world-class restaurants."

Charleston attracts the low-cost bloom

The entry of Spirit Airlines at Charleston Airport further highlights how popular the city has grown in the past few years as a prime destination for low-cost and leisure carriers. The city is also the largest base for leisure airline startup Breeze Airways. Within less than two years of operations, the airline has remarkably expanded from Charleston to widen connectivity for the city.

Avelo Airlines had also recently launched flight services between Charleston and Orlando International Airport during the summer, which is coincidentally offered by Breeze Airways and regional carrier Silver Airways. Besides the attraction of low-cost and leisure carriers, Charleston is also enjoying non-stop flight offerings from big airlines such as American Airlines and United Airlines.

And the growth of Charleston is set to continue with Spirit Airlines next year, as appreciated by the airport's Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Elliott Summey:

"We are grateful for Spirit's commitment and investment in our community and the Charleston International Airport. Spirit's low fares and affordable flights provide more options for travelers to vacation here in Charleston or for local residents to visit family and friends in three major cities any day of the week."

Bottom line

Charleston seems like a strategic route network pin for Spirit Airlines, and the three-route expansion will certainly give other carriers a fight for their profits. While it will be a welcoming yellow splash into a new market, it will be interesting to see what further expansions the low-cost carrier will initiate from Charleston in the future since competition will eventually get heated.