Ultra-low-cost US carrier Spirit Airlines has launched a second daily flight to Honduras’ new Palmerola International Airport (XPL), increasing the connectivity between the Central American and North American countries.
Extra connectivity between Florida and Honduras
On November 30, Spirit Airlines launched flight NK1430, a new daily service from Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) in Florida and Palmerola International Airport (XPL), the new hub serving Honduras’ capital city Tegucigalpa, which was opened in December 2021. The plane landed at around 2:30 am on December 1.
On social media, the airport authorities said that the flight has a complete success and that it was even oversold by Spirit Airlines, which we don’t know if it should be qualified as something successful.
The flight was operated with Spirit Airlines’ Airbus A320neo fleet and complemented the other service, NK1328, which arrived daily earlier in the day. Spirit Airlines now offer 31 weekly flights to Honduras from different cities in the United States. The ultra-low-cost carrier is only behind American Airlines, which offers 37 weekly flights, although both companies deploy almost the same number of weekly seats (5,748 for American and 5,668 for Spirit).
When the new flight was first announced a few months ago, Mauricio Acosta, general manager of Spirit Airlines in Honduras, said that this additional service provides the Tegucigalpa region with another convenient option for travelers who want to enjoy Honduran culture and those who wish to visit friends and family.
US connectivity to Honduras
As of December 2022, there are 91 weekly direct flights between the United States and Honduras. In the next few months, we will see at least a new fifth freedom flight launched, operated by Volaris El Salvador (San Salvador-San Pedro Sula-Miami).
Four US carriers operate all the non-stop connectivity between the United States and Honduras at the moment. These companies are American Airlines, with 37 weekly flights; Spirit Airlines, with 31; Delta Air Lines, with six; and United Airlines, with 17 weekly flights.
Between Mondays and Fridays there are 12 daily flights between both countries, connecting cities such as Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Orlando, New York, and New Orleans with Honduran destinations Roatan, Palmerola, and San Pedro Sula.
Compared to 2019 levels, there are 18.2% more flights and 27.2% more seats available between both countries.
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The strength of Palmerola
Last year, Honduras inaugurated the new Palmerola International Airport. This hub was built to substitute the still open Toncontín International Airport (TGU), located in the center of Tegucigalpa and widely known as one of the most dangerous airports in the world, with an approach not made for the faint-hearted.
Slowly Palmerola International has been gaining new connectivity throughout the year. According to data by Cirium, Palmerola currently has 61 weekly flights by six airlines, American Airlines, Aeromexico, Avianca, Copa Airlines, Spirit, and United Airlines. Moreover, Palmerola is expecting to have shortly its first long-haul flights. The Spanish carrier Iberojet is looking to launch flights between Madrid and Palmerola on December 13.
David Hernandez, IATA Country Representative for Central America, Cuba, Ecuador and Venezuela, said that before Palmerola, flights to Europe in the central part of the country were unimaginable.
“A few years ago, imagining direct flights from Europe to Tegucigalpa was unthinkable. Thanks to the vision of the new airport project in Palmerola, this is now a reality. The arrival of more operators strengthens Honduras' air connectivity and increases the socioeconomic benefits that aviation brings to the country,” he said.