Travel September 10, 2026 0 Comments

Frontier’s Bold Leap: Unlocking South America & Reviving Spirit’s Routes—What It Means for Travelers and Investors Alike

Who would have thought that a budget airline from Denver would be the next to dip its toes into South America’s vibrant skies? Frontier Airlines is gearing up to launch nonstop flights from Orlando straight to the heart of Colombia—Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena no less—marking their inaugural venture onto the continent. Think of it as stepping into a dance floor left wide open when Spirit Airlines, a former rival, abruptly exited earlier this year. With Spirit’s planes grounded, Frontier is swooping in to fill that void, betting on the undeniable allure—and demand—for affordable travel between Orlando and these stunning Colombian cities. It’s a bold move, a savvy chess play if you ask me, especially amid a shifting landscape where low-cost carriers are scrambling to find solid footing. So, will Frontier’s new routes spark a South American revival for budget travelers? Only time will tell—but one thing’s clear, the winds of change are blowing fast and fierce. LEARN MORE

Frontier Airlines is getting ready to fly to South America for the first time.

The Denver-based budget airline on Thursday announced nonstop service to three cities in Colombia.

The trio of routes from Orlando International Airport (MCO) will mark the first time Frontier has sent its planes to the continent.

It will also be a clear move to pick up routes abandoned by former rival Spirit Airlines, which had a significant presence in Colombia prior to its collapse earlier this year.

Among the routes: nonstop service to the Colombian capital city of Bogota, along with new flights to Medellin and Cartagena.

The beautiful church of San Pedro in Cartagena, Colombia. GETTY IMAGES/AMAWATERWAYS/FACEBOOK

“We believe there is strong, unmet demand for low-cost travel between Orlando and Colombia, and we look forward to offering affordable flight options between these two magnificent destinations,” Tyri Squyres, Frontier’s vice president of public and consumer affairs, said in a statement announcing the news.

Frontier’s 3 new Colombia routes

Here’s the full rundown of the new international service Frontier announced:

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Route	Launch date	Frequency
Orlando to Jose Maria Cordova International Airport (MDE) in Medellin	Dec. 10	Daily
Orlando to El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogota	Dec. 14	Six times per week at the start; daily after March 6, 2027
Orlando to Rafael Nunez International Airport (CTG) in Cartagena	Dec. 19	Weekly

Picking up where Spirit left off

All three of those new Frontier flights were routes once served by Spirit. The now-defunct budget airline had been America’s top ultra-low-cost carrier in Colombia and in South America.

So, Spirit’s collapse left a clear void for consumers looking to fly to the region on a budget airline.

TPG’s Summer Hull: An ode to Spirit Airlines — Yeah, they were all yellow

spirit planes parked at FLL — JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES

It’s worth watching to see whether Frontier makes further moves to acquire former Spirit routes in Latin America.

Frontier executives have said the airline would take a more measured approach in picking up service abandoned by its former competitor.

At the same time, the airline isn’t done adding former Spirit routes to the mix — even though it has been several months since its big yellow planes were grounded.

“There are opportunities to pick off markets that they’ve obviously exited, now, over the coming year or two,” Frontier CEO James Dempsey told me in July.