Spirit Airlines has announced that it will add Savannah, Georgia to its route map beginning in August of this year. The announcement comes the day after former Spirit CEO, Ted Christie, stepped down.
It’s no secret that Spirit has struggled in recent months with the carrier filing and then emerging from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy after being taken private by a group of investors. By all accounts the airline has continued to burn through cash and is adding and removing routes in an effort to return to profitability.
While choosing to serve Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) makes sense to me, the carrier is going in with four new routes that are scheduled to begin as summer winds down.
Beginning August 14, 2025, Spirit will offer daily service between SAV and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). United serves this route 2-3x daily from EWR while Delta and JetBlue also fly multiple flights between SAV and New York area airports.
In October, Spirit will add; 4x weekly flights between SAV and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), 3x weekly flights between SAV and Nashville International Airport (BNA), and 2x weekly flights between SAV and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).
Spirit will be the only carrier on the FLL-SAV route but faces competition from Southwest Airlines on BNA-SAV and Delta on DTW-SAV, both of which offer 2x daily service on the routes.
While I may sound like Debbie Downer, Spirit and the Savannah Airport Commission are excited about the additional service. John Kirby, Vice President of Network Planning at Spirit Airlines, said this:
“We look forward to welcoming our Savannah Guests onboard soon and offering them new, elevated travel options with unmatched value to visit exciting destinations across the East Coast and Midwest. Savannah is an incredible destination, and we know our Guests will love exploring this coastal gem while immersing themselves in the city’s historic charm and vibrant art scene.”
Greg Kelly, Executive Director of the Savannah Airport Commission, added:
“We have been working hard to get Spirit to add SAV to their route structure. We believe Spirit is a great fit for our market, and the cities they are adding will be a strong addition for our community and region. We appreciate Spirit for adding us to their system, and we will work hard to ensure their success and growth here in SAV.”
Ultimately, I want to see Spirit succeed and I hope it has success with these new routes.
Summary
Spirit Airlines is adding a new dot to its route map, announcing service to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). The ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) will add four new routes from the airport with service scheduled to begin between August and October 2025.
