United cashing in on rival after bankrupt Spirit Airlines axes flights to 11 cities

Core Insights - United Airlines is capitalizing on Spirit Airlines' financial difficulties by expanding its presence in key markets where Spirit operates, such as Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Las Vegas [1] - Spirit Airlines has filed for its second bankruptcy protection and is reducing its operations, which presents opportunities for competitors [1][7] Company Actions - Spirit Airlines has discontinued service to 11 US cities, including Portland and San Diego, and has canceled plans to launch service to Macon, Georgia [2] - United Airlines will begin selling tickets for new flights to 15 cities where Spirit operates, and will utilize larger aircraft on routes between Chicago and New York LaGuardia to facilitate connections [3][5] Market Dynamics - Frontier Airlines has also responded to Spirit's challenges by introducing new routes, including 20 flights to Spirit's strongholds and an additional 22 routes to the Caribbean and Latin America [6] - Analysts expect that both United and Frontier will benefit significantly from Spirit's operational downsizing, despite having less direct competition [6]