Spirit Airlines Begins Service From San Jose Mineta Airport

Spirit Airline Airbus A320
Credit: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/Getty

ULCC Spirit Airlines added San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) to its network, launching three routes from the California airport.

The carrier on June 7 commenced flights from SJC to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Las Vegas Reid International Airport (LAS) and San Diego International Airport (SAN). The SJC-LAS route will be operated 2X-daily, while the other two routes will be flown 1X-daily.

Spirit, an all-Airbus A320 family aircraft operator, already serves all three cities from Oakland International Airport (OAK), located 35 mi. to the north of SJC. The ULCC does not serve San Francisco International Airport (SFO). 

Spirit says SJC will be an “easy gateway for visitors to fly to the southern Bay Area.” According to SJC, the airport has an approximate 18% passenger market share in the San Francisco Bay Area, about equal to that of OAK, but well behind SFO’s more than 60% share.

SJC marks the seventh California airport from which the airline operates, including Sacramento International Airport (SMF), located 120 mi. to the north of Mineta Airport. Spirit also serves DFW, LAS and SAN from SMF. The airline notes it operates more than 55 daily departures from California airports.

Southwest Airlines is by far the biggest carrier at SJC, operating more than half of all flights at the airport. Southwest serves both LAS and SAN from San Jose, as well as offering service between SJC and Dallas Love Field.

Aaron Karp

Aaron Karp is a Contributing Editor to the Aviation Week Network.