Frontier Airlines cuts into Delta's capacity with 9 new routes from Atlanta

Frontier Airlines is set to further expand its presence at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and has announced nine new routes.

The airline is now the fastest-growing carrier in Atlanta and has registered significant growth year-on-year. The new routes will be operational this summer season.

New routes from Atlanta

Frontier Airlines will deploy more capacity from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) this summer. The airline has announced nine new routes from the airport that will start in May and June.

Atlanta is also an important base for the airline, and its expansion there will ensure that it continues to provide employment to a growing number of people in the region, which is expected to increase to around 1,200 in 2025 with all the changes to its network. James Dempsey, president, Frontier Airlines, commented,

“We are thrilled to partner with the leadership at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to significantly grow our operations and bring more low-cost flight options to Atlanta consumers. Our fares are 60 percent lower, on average, than other carriers operating from ATL.

“Not only are we committed to making flying affordable, but we are on a mission to deliver a better flight experience with many new enhancements coming in the next year, including a first-class seat option. Additionally, we are proud to be a part of the Atlanta community by providing meaningful and increasing employment opportunities.”

Flight schedule

The ultra-low-cost carrier will operate the nine new routes as per the following schedule:

The third-largest airline in Atlanta

Frontier has had an impressive expansion in Atlanta. From being the fourth-largest airline there in 2023, it is now the third-largest carrier at Atlanta Airport.

As soon as these new routes start this summer, Frontier will increase departures by 40% year-over-year from Atlanta.

With these new services, Frontier will also establish a base for more employees in Atlanta, including pilots, flight attendants, airport customer service, ground handling, and maintenance personnel. This will result in an annual economic wage impact of more than $111 million.

Jan Lennon, Hartsfield-Jackson interim general manager, said that “Frontier's investment in this market is a testament to the strength of our airport, our city, and our shared vision for continued growth.” Frontier also recently relocated its existing operations at ATL to newly built gates on the E Concourse.

According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, Frontier has more than 1,100 departures from Atlanta in March.

Some of its busiest routes include Philadelphia, Orlando, Denver, and Dallas, among others.

Of course, this still pales in comparison to Delta Air Lines’s departures in March, which stand at 26,583.

Atlanta is Delta’s primary hub, but Frontier’s new routes are gradually impacting the airport’s market share dynamics.

The busiest airport in the world

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is no stranger to the world’s busiest airports list. Not only does it consistently make it to the list, but it has topped it many times.

n 2024, it was once again named the busiest airport in the world, primarily because of Delta’s huge presence there.

The airport also sees traffic from several international airlines. Recently, Etihad increased flights on its upcoming Atlanta schedule from the planned four weekly to daily.

The first Abu Dhabi to Atlanta flight will take off on July 2. Initially, it will operate four weekly on the 371-seat Airbus A350-1000 but will increase to daily in November.

Atlanta is also the only one of the top ten US metros without a secondary airport. My has done a detailed analysis of whether the city needs a secondary airport in the article below.