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Fast-growing Spirit to launch 10 routes from Austin this winter

Frontier debuts with an aggressive schedule that features nonstop flights to nine destinations. A 10th route will join Spirit's Austin lineup in May.

AUSTIN — Fast-growing Spirit Airlines will make Austin, Texas, its newest destination.

The ultra low-cost carrier will debut there Feb. 14, launching with an aggressive schedule that features nonstop flights to nine destinations. A 10th route will join Spirit’s Austin lineup in May.

Spirit’s expansion to Austin furthers a period of explosive growth for the airport. A number of airlines have revealed new or increased flights there during the past two years, including international carriers Lufthansa and Norwegian Air.

As for Spirit, its initial Austin schedule will feature flights to nine destinations: Baltimore/Washington (BWI); Chicago O’Hare; Denver; Detroit; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Las Vegas; New Orleans; and Orlando, Florida.

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The ramp-up is an unusually large one for Spirit. It typically enters a new market cautiously with just a few routes and then expands if its service proves popular.

“Austin is not only a booming hub for music, cuisine and the arts, but it has quickly become an economic driver for multiple other industries,” Mark Kopczak, Spirit’s Vice President of Network Planning, says in a statement. “We are offering not one or two, but nine different nonstop destinations because we know Austin is ready for Spirit.”

Those routes start Feb. 14, which Spirit notes is “just in time for” the South by Southwest music, media and film festival.

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A 10th route connecting Austin to Los Angeles begins May 2.

Austin becomes Spirit’s third destination in Texas, joining Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston Bush Intercontinental.

Scroll down for a look at details on all 10 of Spirit’s planned routes from Austin.

Baltimore/Washington (BWI)

Begins Feb. 14; daily service.

Direct competition: Southwest.

Chicago O’Hare

Begins Feb. 14; daily service.

Direct competition: American and United. Southwest also flies from Austin to Chicago’s Midway Airport.

Denver

Begins Feb. 14; daily service.

Direct competition: Frontier, Southwest and United.

Detroit

Begins Feb. 14; daily service.

Direct competition: Delta and Frontier (seasonal).

Fort Lauderdale

Begins Feb. 14; daily service.

Direct competition: JetBlue and Southwest.

Las Vegas

Begins Feb. 14; daily service.

Direct competition: Allegiant, Frontier and Southwest.

Los Angeles

Begins May 2; daily service.

Direct competition: American, Delta, Southwest and United.

New Orleans

Begins Feb. 14; daily service.

Direct competition: Frontier and Southwest.

Orlando

Begins Feb. 14; daily service.

Direct competition: Frontier, JetBlue and Southwest. Allegiant also flies from Austin to Orlando’s secondary Sanford airport.

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