Spirit Airlines’ (NYSE: SAVE) bright yellow planes are shining bright along Puerto Rico’s sunny southern coast. The carrier launched service from Mercedita International Airport (PSE) in Ponce today, adding the second-largest city on the island to its growing route map. The new service provides Ponce travelers with daily flights to Orlando (MCO) and marks Spirit’s third destination in Puerto Rico, joining San Juan (SJU) and Aguadilla (BQN).
«Our new nonstop flights between Ponce and Orlando provide both Puerto Rican and Floridian travelers with convenient and affordable ways to visit friends and relatives,» said Matt Klein, Spirit’s EVP and Chief Commercial Officer. «It also provides convenient access to the theme parks in Orlando as well as the historical and cultural attractions along Puerto Rico’s southern coast.»
Orlando is one of Spirit’s largest airport operations with around 80 flights each day, which now provides one-stop options between PSE and 28 cities across the airline’s route map. The airline is the second-largest carrier by seats at MCO.
«We pride ourselves on supporting commercial and tourism ties between Ponce and other eastern cities of the United States. We are grateful for Spirit’s contribution on widening the scope of flights available to the people of Puerto Rico, especially for those living in the south of the island, said Joel Pizá Batiz, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. «We appreciate the trust placed in our workplan, designed to encourage the airport development and the arrival of new airlines. Our management included an investment of $12.8 million in improvement projects for the past three years, standing out the expansion of the departure lounge in order to attend two flights simultaneously and the improvements made to the TSA check-point.»
Spirit flew its first flights to Puerto Rico in 2001 when it inaugurated service to San Juan, and later opened service to Aguadilla in 2007. Adding Ponce will provide Spirit’s Guests with eight nonstop route choices for travel between airports throughout Florida and Puerto Rico. The growth in Puerto Rico continues this spring as Spirit launches nonstop service from Aguadilla to Philadelphia on April 20, 2022.
«At the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, we celebrate the arrival of Spirit Airlines to the Aeropuerto Internacional Mercedita (PSE) in Ponce with the nonstop flight, daily, between Orlando (MCO) and Ponce (PSE). It is gratifying to count on Spirit as a contributor of the Island’s tourism industry and their commitment with Puerto Rico as a destination. This support is reflected by the increase of the frequency of their flights and the continuous increase of their routes, in this particular case in Ponce «La Ciudad Señorial», which will certainly translate to a big boost in the economy of our «Porta Caribe» Tourist Region,» said Carlos Mercado Santiago, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
