Spirit is launching 3 all-new routes to Utah as customers seek more outdoor-focused destinations in the western US

• Spirit Airlines is launching three new routes to Salt Lake City, marking the first time the carrier will serve Utah.
• According to the airline, customers want more options to outdoor-focused destinations in the Western US.

Spirit Airlines is heading to Utah for the first time in its history as demand increases for outdoor destinations in the Western US.

To kick off 2022, Spirit announced on Tuesday that it is launching three new routes out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Starting in May, the airline will offer nonstop flights to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Orlando.

According to John Kirby, the airline's vice president of network planning, the move comes as customers seek more Western destinations that offer outdoor-focused activities.

"This spring is a great time to launch service to Salt Lake City, The Crossroads of the West," he said in a press release. "We're also excited to introduce our high-value travel proposition for our new Utah guests looking for convenient non-stop flights to some of the nation's most popular leisure destinations."

According to the airline, the expansion marks a number of firsts, including the first time Spirit has operated in the state of Utah and the first new domestic carrier to fly to the airport since 2013.

"We are thrilled to welcome Spirit Airlines to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)," Bill Wyatt,
executive director of Salt Lake City Department of Airports said. "The Spirit model will be a popular
addition to SLC's portfolio of airlines."

Wyatt also explained that Spirit is the first new domestic airline to operate in the Utah capital since the city unveiled "The New SLC" in 2020, which is a $4.5 billion rebuild project. Facilities include a new parking garage, gateway center, central terminal, and other enhancements to be completed by 2024, according to the airport.

Spirit will go head-to-head with Delta Air Lines in Salt Lake City, which is the airport's largest operator. Delta currently operates all three of Spirit's new routes, but the budget carrier's low fares will fuel the competition to leisure destinations out of Utah's capital city.

Spirit's expansion in Salt Lake City is not the first time it has entered a market dominated by a legacy rival. In October 2021, the carrier announced 31 new routes out of American Airlines' hub in Miami, making the low-cost airline the second biggest player at the airport, according to the company.

In addition to new routes to Salt Lake City, Spirit is hosting a pilot hiring event at the airport on February 8, the company said in the press release. The budget airline is not immune to the pilot shortage currently plaguing the industry, and its call for pilots comes after carriers continue to cut flights due to staffing issues and offer pay raises and bonuses for new talent.

Here's a closer look at Spirit's three new routes out of Salt Lake City.

Between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas

Spirit will fly twice daily between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas beginning May 26. Frontier, Delta, and Southwest will be the airline's competition.

Between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles

Spirit will fly once daily between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles beginning May 26. The airline will compete with a number of carriers on the route, including Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United.

Between Salt Lake City and Orlando

Spirit will fly once daily between Salt Lake City and Orlando beginning May 26. The route will see competition from JetBlue and Delta.