Spirit Airlines and Alaska Airlines is taking on Southwest Airlines at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall, an airport used by many Delaware business and leisure travelers.
The airport announced the following flight additions during the spring to fall period
- Spirit will add daily service from BWI Marshall Airport to New Orleans, LA on May 25, 2017.
- Spirit begins seasonal daily service from BWI Marshall Airport to Oakland, CA on May 25, 2017.
- Spirit will start seasonal daily service from BWI Marshall Airport to San Diego, CA on May 25, 2017.
- Spirit will begin seasonal daily service from BWI Marshall Airport to Seattle, WA on May 25, 2017.
- Allegiant will initiate twice-weekly seasonal service between BWI Marshall Airport and Destin/Fort Walton Beach, FL on May 31, 2017.
- Southwest will add three daily nonstop flights between BWI Marshall Airport and Cincinnati, OH on June 4, 2017
- Alaska Airlines will add seasonal nonstop service from BWI Marshall Airport to Portland, OR on June 6, 2017.
- Virgin America/Alaska Airlines with initiate nonstop service from BWI Marshall Airport to San Francisco on October 16, 2017.
Spirit, earlier this month launched service between BWI and San Diego and in November added flights to Tampa and Fort Myers.
Southwest is by far the largest airline at BWI, and no-frills discounter Spirit sees an opportunity to gain a piece of that business among budget travelers willing to pay extra for luggage in return for lower base fares.
Spirit charges for carry-on bags not stored under the seat, while Southwest allows two bags to be checked at no additional charge. Other carriers typically allow one carry-on bag for the overhead bin at no extra charge.
Critics claim Southwest builds in the baggage charges. However, the approach appeals to business travelers with trade show exhibits or other gear, or leisure travelers with oversize bags.
An international discount airline, Wow, also flies out of Baltimore-Washington to Iceland, with connections to cities in Europe.
