Spirit's new flights from Fort Lauderdale to Ponce

In keeping with its plan to forge more Latin American and Caribbean routes, discount airline Spirit has launched daily nonstop service from its (growing) Fort Lauderdale (FLL) hub to Ponce, Puerto Rico (PSE). Mercedita Airport is the touchdown point near Ponce, an aerodrome that saw more than 156,000 passengers last year.

Ponce makes the discount airline's third destination in Puerto Rico. It also flies to San Juan (SJU) and Aguadilla (BQN). Ponce is Spirit's 22nd destination in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

Consider that the carrier flies to 37 airports overall and you see just how important southbound service is in Spirit's scheme of things. Spirit is positioning itself increasingly as an airline catering to leisure travelers, and those visiting friends and relatives.

The discount airline's new service is a daily deal, employing new twin-engine Airbuses. The southbound flight departs FLL at 11:30pm and gets to the Puerto Rican tourist enclave at 2am. The return flight is also a red-eye. It departs Ponce at 2:50am, and is scheduled to pull up to the gate at Fort Lauderdale at 5:35am.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler