Frontier Airlines is heading to South America for the first time, and it's doing it by stepping into the gap left by Spirit Airlines' collapse. The Denver-based budget carrier has announced nonstop service from Orlando International Airport to three Colombian cities: Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena.
The rollout starts in December. Flights to Medellin begin December 10 and run daily. Bogota service follows on December 14, initially six times a week before going daily from March 6, 2027. Cartagena, Colombia's Caribbean coast gem, gets a weekly flight starting December 19.
All three routes were previously served by Spirit, which was the top US ultra-low-cost carrier in Colombia and South America before it folded earlier this year. That left budget travellers with noticeably fewer cheap options between the US and Colombia — exactly the hole Frontier is now filling. "We believe there is strong, unmet demand for low-cost travel between Orlando and Colombia," said Tyri Squyres, the airline's vice president of public and consumer affairs, in announcing the routes.
This may only be the start. Frontier's CEO James Dempsey has said the airline sees chances to "pick off" other markets Spirit exited over the next year or two, so more Latin American routes could follow. Worth noting, though: while Frontier expands abroad, it's simultaneously pulling back at home — it will drop New York's JFK airport next month, exiting America's biggest aviation market entirely.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple. If you're based in Florida or anywhere within reach of Orlando, Colombia just got a lot cheaper to reach. Bogota gets you Colombia's high-altitude capital of museums, street art and Andean cuisine. Medellin puts you in the heart of coffee country with its famously pleasant spring-like climate. Cartagena delivers walled colonial streets and Caribbean beaches — though with only one weekly flight, that route will likely fill fast, so book early.