Frontier Airlines is making a bold move at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, formally asking to take over the Spirit Airlines gates left empty in the Warren Cleage Evans Terminal, airport officials have confirmed. If the request clears all the legal hurdles, Frontier would get room to bulk up its schedule from Detroit just as the peak summer travel crush hits. Airport leaders say they are holding off on any long-term gate leases until Spirit’s bankruptcy case is resolved.
According to The Detroit News, Frontier has submitted a formal request for access to Spirit’s former terminal space, but the Wayne County Airport Authority is not saying how many gates are on the table or what lease terms Frontier is chasing. The authority plans to put the gates back under lease once the bankruptcy process is finished and, in the meantime, other airlines are stepping in to cover Spirit’s former routes.
Frontier Is Pushing To Grow In Detroit
Frontier says it was already building up its Detroit presence even before it went after Spirit’s old gates and expects more growth as summer gets underway, according to a press release from Frontier Airlines. The carrier has restored nonstop Detroit flights to Fort Lauderdale and Las Vegas, rolled out discounted “rescue fares,” and introduced a $199 GoWild pass pitched specifically to stranded former Spirit customers. Bloomberg reports Frontier has been quick to add capacity in routes Spirit left behind.
Airport Officials Keep Tight Lid
“It would be premature to share any details about ongoing discussions or potential lease agreements with Frontier or any other airline,” WCAA spokesperson Cortez Strickland told The Detroit News. Frontier executives told the paper they expect to add capacity from Detroit starting in July and continuing through the winter season, though specifics remain under wraps.
What It Means For Travelers
Travel agents and airline analysts say the sudden loss of Spirit’s low-fare presence has already nudged many Detroit round-trip prices sharply higher, with routes that often ran $300 to $400 last summer now frequently showing up in the $600 to $800 range. Industry coverage indicates Frontier and other carriers are working to refill former Spirit routes, but capacity growth is trailing demand, according to Bloomberg. Travel outlet Fodor’s reports fares could stay elevated into the summer as the market resets.
Timing And The Lease Process
The Wayne County Airport Authority has urged travelers to rely on official channels for updates while it sorts out next steps and has posted a public notice about Spirit’s shutdown on its website, according to the Wayne County Airport Authority. The authority is also advancing commercial planning for the Evans Terminal. A public request for proposals tied to concessions in the terminal included a June 15 closing date, as detailed in RFP 26-02608, signaling that the concourse is being readied for new operators even while gate leases wait on legal outcomes.
What to watch next: WCAA board agendas, any formal gate-lease awards, and how Frontier’s July schedule updates unfold. For now, Detroit flyers should expect a patchwork of restored nonstop options as airlines jockey for ex-Spirit territory and fares settle into a new normal.
_(2485683662).jpg){kind=link}