Frontier Airlines drops 43 routes in major network update

Frontier Airlines is making big changes to its network — and they’re not necessarily pretty.

The Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier filed plans this week to exit 43 routes, a significant number even for a carrier that’s known to shake up its network more often than most airlines.

Want more aviation news? Sign up for TPG’s free biweekly Aviation newsletter.

The route cuts were first seen in a TPG analysis of Cirium Diio schedules and later confirmed by a carrier spokesperson. The full list of affected routes is at the bottom of this story.

Some of the affected routes had only been added recently by the airline. This includes five routes from Cleveland that began in May but will now be cut after a few short months.

Domestically, the most affected cities are Cleveland, Orlando and Philadelphia; they are seeing six, eight and eight route cuts, respectively.

Several of the affected routes are international services, including routes to Cancun from Houston; Kansas City, Missouri; Miami; Tampa; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The airline is also trimming its operations in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and in St. Martin.

Many of the 43 routes had originally been scheduled to operate during the upcoming winter season. However, they were removed entirely from the carrier’s schedules after the second week of August, and no confirmed resumption date is in sight.

In a statement, Frontier said that it was “reducing network capacity given the current industry supply and demand imbalance. We will evaluate individual markets for potential resumption in 2025 based on relevant seasonal performance.”

Daily Newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter

Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

In recent months, Frontier and its budget airline peers have all sounded the alarm on a structural problem in their network strategy: overcapacity on many leisure-focused routes.

Overcapacity leads to lower fares and emptier flights. While that might be great news for passengers, it’s a problem for an airline’s balance sheet and its quarterly earnings report, leading to significant financial losses.

To try and stem the bleeding, Frontier has already made major adjustments to its network this year; it also expects more route changes in the coming months.

Earlier this year, Frontier added a whopping 54 new routes, followed by 17 more just a few weeks later. It also slashed 16 in February, followed by 14 more in March.

In terms of new routes, the airline is now focusing on larger, more established markets, such as Charlotte, Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth.

This strategy shift has even landed the airline at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) — an airport long avoided by ultra-low-cost carriers. They typically prefer to operate from cheaper airports in major metro areas. It also isn’t clear how Frontier got the slots, or takeoff and landing permissions, needed to operate at the capacity-constrained airport.

Frontier added two routes from JFK in March, and it recently followed up with a third route from JFK to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) launching next month.

In addition to the network changes, Frontier has upended its business strategy with new fares and premium products.

The airline now offers four different fare products, some of which include ancillaries like priority boarding and a full-size carry-on bag. The most expensive fare, the “Business Bundle,” includes an UpFront Plus seat with extra legroom and a blocked middle seat.

This is all designed to appeal to the changing customer profile, which is someone who is looking to invest more in premium travel experiences.