Frontier returns – Frontier Airlines says it will re-launch flights from Oakland to Las Vegas later this year and add a new Boise–Las Vegas route, moves aimed at capturing demand left behind after Spirit’s shutdown on May 1.
For travelers east of the bay, the gap left by Spirit’s collapse has been more than an inconvenience. It’s been a lost option—and Frontier is now moving quickly to plug it.
On Tuesday, the Denver-based low-fare carrier announced it will add two western U.S. routes that were previously served by Spirit Airlines. including Frontier’s return to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) for the first time in three years. Later this summer, Frontier will re-launch service from OAK, where it last flew in 2023.
This time, Frontier is coming back east of the bay with nonstop flights to Las Vegas. The route will connect OAK to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), with service set to launch Aug. 2011 times weekly.
The timing matters. Spirit flew this Oakland-to-Las Vegas route in the months leading up to its collapse on May 1.
Frontier isn’t stopping there. It will also add new “Sin City” service from Boise, Idaho. The carrier plans nonstop flights from Boise Airport (BOI) to LAS starting Sept. 10, with four times weekly service. Spirit had used that Boise–Las Vegas market before its shutdown.
The airline frames the changes as a bet on budget travelers who still want to fly—just not at the prices they’ve started paying in the wake of Spirit’s exit. Frontier vice president of network and operations design Josh Flyr said in a statement announcing the news. “We are laser-focused on redefining what consumers can expect from low-fare travel.”.
The airline’s busiest push will be Oakland. Frontier says it will fly the OAK-to-LAS route 11 times each week, with frequencies likely to land hardest on high-demand leisure travel days such as Fridays and Sundays.
Frontier previously operated Las Vegas service during its earlier stint at OAK, which is why this return is being watched closely by people who have missed having that direct connection.
There’s also a second layer for the Bay Area: the health of the airport itself. Frontier’s return arrives after both Spirit’s folding and a notable pullback by Southwest Airlines in recent years. This year. Southwest’s total departures from OAK were set to be down over 20% versus two years ago. based on data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
The shift in Boise looks like a different chapter, but it comes from the same story. Spirit had served Boise-to-Las Vegas before the shutdown. and Frontier already overlaps with its former top rival on more than 100 routes. Last month. executives said the overlap is “uniquely positioning us to recapture the demand they left behind.” CEO James Dempsey also said in May the airline would be “disciplined” as Spirit liquidates—taking over routes (or assets) left behind in a controlled way.
For now. Frontier’s Oakland and Boise additions are the clearest. most concrete signals that the vacuum Spirit left in the low-fare market won’t stay empty for long. Frontier currently operates service out of both San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC). so the new OAK and BOI launches extend its reach across the region rather than replacing an existing footprint.
In other words: the budget map is shifting, and Frontier is moving fast to redraw part of it—starting with two cities that lost direct access to Las Vegas when Spirit went dark on May 1.
Frontier Airlines Spirit Airlines Oakland airport OAK Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport LAS Boise Airport BOI low fare travel airline routes Southwest OAK departures Cirium
So Spirit shut down and now Frontier just swoops in? same old scam just different logo.
I don’t get it… if Spirit was gone May 1, why is “Aug. 2011 times weekly” in the article lol. Sounds like a typo but also makes it seem fake.
Oakland to Vegas was always the easy hop for me. If Frontier comes back east of the bay (what does that even mean?), maybe fares will go down. But Frontier is still Frontier… they’ll nickel and dime for bags and seats.
Every time an airline “fills the gap” it somehow ends up costing more. Spirit shutdown messed up my travel plans and now it’s like, cool, you added Boise-Las Vegas too? I heard Frontier is “laser-focused” which sounds like marketing speak for the same uncomfortable flight. Also 11 times a week?? somebody double check that because I swear none of these schedules ever match what they say on Facebook.