• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home  >  News • Spirit  >  Spirit Airlines Launches Two Unique LGA Routes
NewsSpirit

Spirit Airlines Launches Two Unique LGA Routes

Matthew Klint Posted onMarch 9, 2021March 10, 2021 7 Comments

New York LaGuardia airport is encumbered by a perimeter rule which prevents most long-distance flights. But there is one exception that Spirit Airlines is taking advantage of to launch an interesting pair of new routes.

Spirit Airlines Launches Nonstop Service Between New York LGA And Both Los Angeles + San Juan

Spirit Airlines today announced it would commence a new flight between New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Los Angeles (LAX) starting on June 12, 2021. It will also launch service between LGA and San Juan (SJU) starting on April 17, 2021. Both new flights will only run on Saturdays.

What makes these routes interesting? Can you name any other carriers that operate nonstop between LaGuardia and the West Coast or Puerto Rico? The answer is no because flights to and from LGA are restrained by a 1984 perimeter rule, that remains in effect.

Originally introduced to limit traffic and noise pollution while encouraging longhaul operations out of New York Kennedy (JFK) and Newark (EWR), flights over 1,500 miles are prohibited to/from LGA.

LGA Perimeter Rule Exceptions

But there are two exceptions.

First, Denver is an exception as an existing route when the perimeter rule was introduced. Second, the rule does not apply on Saturdays. The rationale is that Saturday is the slowest travel day of the week and without business travelers, loosening the rule helps airlines keep slots occupied and planes full.

The distance between LAX and LGA is 2,469 miles while the distance between LGA and SJU is 1,608 miles.

Over the years, other carriers have experimented with Saturday-only transcontinental service, though it has been several years since we’ve seen service.

One Mile at a Time wonders why more airlines don’t add more Saturday-only service to LGA. Could it be that balancing slots at JFK and LGA is too complicated? Is it about managing expectations?

Either could be the case. Fundamentally, airlines simply did not see the business case for such flights or they would have added them. While likely not critical, I also think (at least prior to the pandemic) these longer flights required different catering, which may have been a logistical burden.

CONCLUSION

The precise schedule of the new Spirit SJU/LAX↔LGA service has not been announced, though Spirit expects the new schedule to be loaded later this week. While these Saturday-only flights have not worked in the past, we are now in a whole new era.

Will Spirit’s Saturday-only service beyond the LGA perimeter be successful?


image: Spirit Airlines

Previous Article After Huge Loss, Will Etihad Merge With Emirates?
Next Article Female Passenger Tied To Her Chair After Streaking On Flight

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • United Airlines Congressional Intervention Guam

    United Airlines Threatened With Congressional Intervention For High Guam Fares

    May 30, 2023
  • United Airlines Cancels Boston – London Route

    May 30, 2023
  • Asiana Exit Door

    Passenger Rips Open A321 Emergency Exit Door While Plane Still In Air…How?!

    May 26, 2023

7 Comments

  1. Izz Reply
    March 9, 2021 at 4:22 pm

    I think LAX for a leisure airline can work well for them.

    Would you happen to know if the rule is only for takeoffs or also for landings? Lets say Spirit wants to fly LGA-LAX Saturday evening and return LAX-LGA landing Sunday morning. Would that be allowed? That would make it the only red eye into LGA!

    Or can Friday night landing Saturday work?

    Red-eye flights work very well usually for leisure airlines and ables them to maximize plane time.

  2. Jd Reply
    March 9, 2021 at 6:32 pm

    Fundamentally, airlines simply did not see the business class for such flights or they would have added them.

    Do you mean business case?

    With the lga renovations time will tell if the perimeter restrictions will be lifted.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      March 9, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      Business case.

  3. Gene Reply
    March 9, 2021 at 6:51 pm

    @ Matthew — Can’t wait to fly LAX-LGA-SJU on Spirit. Good times for all.

  4. Jerry Reply
    March 9, 2021 at 7:18 pm

    LGA-AUS: 1510
    DCA-AUS: 1310

    I hate the perimeter rule!!

  5. Willy Reply
    March 9, 2021 at 10:47 pm

    Business case are not words used around Spirit much I have to imagine. I’m not poo-pooing them by any stretch, but, clearly, their economics are different than other airlines. You simply cannot lump them together.

  6. Andy K Reply
    March 10, 2021 at 9:38 am

    Yeah just what we need …. more Puerto Ricans coming in to New York.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for May

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 60,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • Polaris Lounge LAX Nightcap
    Polaris Lounge Nightcap At LAX May 31, 2023
  • Harvest Grain Bowl United Airlines
    Harvest Grain Bowl In United Airlines First Class May 31, 2023
  • International Flight Attendant Day
    International Flight Attendant Day – Thank You May 31, 2023
  • Cathay Pacific Flight Attendants Fired
    Cathay Pacific Flight Attendants Fired For Mocking Mainland Passenger May 31, 2023

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Punches United Airlines Gate Agent
    Man Repeatedly Punches United Airlines Gate Agent After She Asked Him To Vacate First Class Seat He Poached May 3, 2023
  • American Airlines Pins Cockpit Door
    American Airlines First Class Passenger So Angry Over Meal Choices He Pins Flight Attendant To Cockpit Door May 11, 2023
  • Cursing Fight United Airlines
    “Don’t You Ever Tell Me To Speak English!” (Fight Breaks Out On My United Airlines Flight) May 17, 2023
  • American Airlines Sewing Machine
    American Airlines Forced Woman To Check Her Sewing Machine, Then Butchered it May 2, 2023

Archives

May 2023
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Apr    

As seen on:

live_and_lets_fly

The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the most beautiful of all Polaris Lounges. Stay tuned for a detailed look and many more photos on the blog tomorrow. Well done @united.
@malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire i @malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire its A380 fleet. While not surprising, it is sad to see the growing list of carriers retiring this superjumbo jet. On Malaysia Airlines, I flew the #A380 once from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) and had the entire first class cabin to myself (full review on the blog). It was a beautiful flight that I will always remember.
Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited tha Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited that a new carrier, Avelo, has launched, especially from an airport just 12 minutes from my home!
I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxairport. Hopefully this summer it will return.

.
.
.
.
#Lufthansa #FirstClass #747 #747-8 #StarAlliance #Miles #Points
I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. This is not only a lovely, all-inclusive resort, but one of the best properties to use your @hyatt World of Hyatt points.
.
.
.
.
#Hyatt #BigSur #California #WorldofHyatt #CA-1 #Points #Hotels
In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E In terms of a spacious first class product, the @Emirates suite on a 777-300ER is hard to beat. My preference is Suite 2K.

.
.
.
.
#Emirates #777 #firstclass
Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from I Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from Instagram ahead of the birth of my first child. Goodness, how time flies. While I’ve enjoyed catching up on others over the years, now it is time for me to return to Instagram. In this first post, I highlight two joys in my life, my two children, whom I trust will grow up to be prolific travelers that circumnavigate the globe as ambassadors of love and respect.

.
.
.
.
.

#travel #airplanes #airlines #miles #points #familytravel #human #integrity #honor
United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improvement over UA's current business class seat. Check out my blog at liveandletsfly.com for 70+ photos of how @united is transforming its entire business class experience starting this December!
The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben! The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben!
Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen - Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -- oh, and I love 40°F summer weather!
One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure of flying with in all my years of flying. Thank you @flysas SK940 on 11 Aug 2016
Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I a Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I assign a window seat months in advance, don't move me to a center seat "for my convenience" with no way to get my original seat back... 😞
Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be racing the #Delta flight to JFK at the gate next to us, which also departs at 12:45p. With @onemileatatime
Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregenc Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregencycasablanca #cassablanca #hyatt
Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the inside of the @grandhyatt_shanghai ... It is 40°C outside! 😓
From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minut From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minutes flat. I ❤️ #bur #burbankairport
Load More... Follow on Instagram
facebook twitter instagram rss

Privacy Policy

© Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.