Spirit Airlines picks Jacksonville as its newest city, adds two new routes

Spirit has turned to Florida for its newest destination. The “ultra low-cost carrier” will add two new routes from Jacksonville, launching daily service to both Chicago O’Hare and Detroit on Dec. 20. Jacksonville becomes Spirit's 69th overall city and continues its rapid build-up in Florida. The airline already operates its busiest hub at Fort Lauderdale and has its headquarters nearby. Earlier this summer, Spirit also announced a “big deal” expansion in Orlando. Spirit also flies from the Florida cities of Fort Myers, Tampa and West Palm Beach. As for the new Jacksonville service, Spirit will offer one daily round-trip flight on both of the new routes. “Beyond a proud military presence, the Jacksonville area offers beautiful warm beaches, amazing golf courses, lively festivals, sporting events, and family friendly attractions that will no doubt be a draw for our guests,” said Laurie Villa, a Spirit senior. “As we continue to expand, we want to make sure we continue to serve our neighbours with ultra-low fares right here in our home state.” But it wasn’t all good news for Jacksonville on Wednesday. On the same day that Spirit announced its new Jacksonville flights, small regional outfit Silver Airways said it would discontinue its service at the airport.<br/>