Bourbon City Toasts Another Kind of 'Spirit' This Spring

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 23, 2021 – Louisville's spirits are about to be lifted with the addition of Spirit Airlines announcing new operations out of Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) on Thursday, May 27, with nonstop daily service to five cities.

The airline announced plans to add Louisville—one of the fastest-growing cities in the country—to its route map with flights from SDF to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Orlando (MCO), Pensacola (PNS), Las Vegas (LAS) and SDF’s only nonstop flight to Los Angeles (LAX).

“It’s time to bring the best value in the sky to Louisville,” said John Kirby, Vice President of Network Planning for Spirit Airlines. “We can’t wait to welcome guests from Kentucky into the Spirit family so they can enjoy our unbeatable combination of service, reliability, new planes and low fares when they take their next trip. Plus, we’ll get to introduce travelers to the Derby City’s mix of outdoor beauty, art and history, not to mention the bourbon.”

Spirit’s flight 502 will be the only nonstop service to Los Angeles from Louisville, removing intermediate stops on the way and making quick trips between the two cities easier than ever. The airline continues to seize that kind of growth opportunity as demand for air travel increases. Earlier this month, the carrier announced an accelerated delivery schedule for new Airbus aircraft joining Spirit’s Fit Fleet™, which is among the youngest in the industry.

"Today is a great day for the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport," said Dan Mann, Executive Director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority. "Spirit is a great addition for the Louisville community and travelers across the region with their robust network and competitive fares. Spirit's mission is 'more go' and we're accomplishing that with today's announcement - more options for more travelers to visit more destinations across the country and around the world. We welcome Spirit to SDF and look forward to a vibrant future."

Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas and Orlando are three of Spirit’s biggest cities, which means nonstop flights from SDF come with easy connections to nine additional destinations. Fort Lauderdale is also Spirit’s largest gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America, providing access to five countries.

“Beyond these very welcome new flights to key destinations, Spirit Airlines also brings a new network of connections to our city, which is great for attracting businesses and new visitors,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “And given our city’s role as the home of Bourbonism, it’s only fitting that Spirit would land here! Welcome, Spirit Airlines!”

*This entry was updated on March 17 to add Pensacola, FL as an additional non-stop destination