Frontier Airlines is deepening its footprint in the Bay Area, and in the process, it’s making a return to Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC).
This summer, the Denver-based, ultra-low-cost carrier will launch five new daily nonstop routes from the airport to prominent western U.S. cities.
The series of route launches mark Frontier’s first-ever service to San Jose, but it will be the first in some time.
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The budget carrier previously served San Jose in 2018 and part of 2019, operating an average of two to three daily departures.
Now, amid the airline’s larger network shake-up of the last few months, Frontier is returning to the market.
In late July, the carrier will launch new nonstops from San Jose to its home base of Denver International Airport (DEN) and San Diego International Airport (SAN). A few weeks later, in August, it will commence service to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
Route details
Here’s a look at the routes and launch dates:
| Route | Launches | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| SJC-DEN | July 22 | Daily |
| SJC-SAN | July 22 | Daily |
| SJC-LAS | Aug. 13 | Daily |
| SJC-LAX | Aug. 13 | Daily |
| SJC-PHX | Aug. 13 | Daily |
Returning to San Jose
These routes will deepen Frontier’s footprint in the Bay Area. As of May, the airline serves close to a dozen nonstop destinations out of San Francisco International Airport (SFO), close to 35 miles from San Jose.
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It’s also just the latest in a series of route announcements (and cuts) Frontier has made in 2024; it’s all part of an effort to return the airline to profitability.
This quarter, Frontier is operating roughly double the number of new routes the airline would typically expect, shifting some focus away from Orlando and Vegas (though, not entirely as this route announcement shows). It’s moving focus toward large cities where the airline can pick up travelers flying to visit friends and relatives.
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This route announcement is also the first Frontier has made since revealing a major overhaul to its merchandising and selling strategy: It’s disposing of change and cancellation fees for many ticket types and presenting fully (or mostly) bundled fare prices upfront.
As for San Jose, the arrival of Frontier will inject a bit more variety into the array of airlines serving the airport. Although Southwest Airlines has a strong presence there, no true domestic ultra-low-cost carrier currently serves San Jose.
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