Ponce has become the third destination in Puerto Rico to be served by Spirit Airlines after the US carrier inaugurated a route from Orlando (MCO).

The airline, which already flies to San Juan (SJU) and Aguadilla (BQN), will offer a daily connection from the Floridian airport to Ponce’s Mercedita International (PSE). Flights will be on board Airbus A319s.

“Our new nonstop flights between Ponce and Orlando provide both Puerto Rican and Floridian travelers with convenient and affordable ways to visit friends and relatives,” said Matt Klein, Spirit EVP and CCO. “It also provides convenient access to the theme parks in Orlando as well as the historical and cultural attractions along Puerto Rico’s southern coast.”

OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that Spirit will go head-to-head on the route with JetBlue Airways, which is offering five flights per week in March and seven per week from April. Until now, JetBlue has been the sole provider of MCO-PSE service for more than a decade.

“We are grateful for Spirit's contribution on widening the scope of flights available to the people of Puerto Rico, especially for those living in the south of the island,” executive director of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority Joel Pizá Batiz said.

“We appreciate the trust placed in our workplan, designed to encourage the airport development and the arrival of new airlines. Our management included an investment of $12.8 million in improvement projects for the past three years, standing out the expansion of the departure lounge in order to attend two flights simultaneously and the improvements made to the TSA check-point.”

Spirit flew its first flights to Puerto Rico in 2001 when it inaugurated service to San Juan, and later opened service to Aguadilla in 2007. A new route between Aguadilla and Philadelphia (PHL) will launch on April 20.