Spirit Airlines returns to Cap-Haïtien with fares starting at $118

CAP-HAITIEN — After pausing operations in Haiti last November, Spirit Airlines has one-way flights available from Fort Lauderdale to Cap-Haïtien again beginning March 5 for a surprisingly cheap price as low as $118. The best offer for the one-way flight from Cap-Haïtien to Fort Lauderdale is $372 and is also available starting March 5.

Tickets were even cheaper on Jan. 22 and have gradually been increasing. On Jan. 22, the cheapest Fort Lauderdale to Cap-Haitien ticket was $55, while the return flight cost as low as $175.

“This is good! When it was only Sunrise, the price was really high,” Paul Simon, a 61-year-old retiree who often travels from Florida to Cap-Haïtien, said. “Now there’s competition so the prices will be decent.”

Simon said he is delighted with Spirit’s return and is planning to travel to Cap-Haïtien in March. 

Sunrise Airways’ lowest one-way fare for its Cap-Haïtien to Miami flight in March is $380. Meanwhile, its Miami to Cap-Haïtien flight is as low as $315.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned all American airlines in Haiti until March after gang members fired gunshots at a Spirit airplane in Port-au-Prince while it was attempting to land at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in November. Sunrise Airways, a Haitian airline, is now the only commercial carrier flying from the United States to Cap-Haïtien. The only U.S. State Sunrise flies to is Florida. So after Spirit’s return, passengers will have more choices of destinations.

Indeed, one reason why Sunrise paused its Miami to Cap-Haïtien flight last year was because more passengers were choosing Spirit, the company told The Haitian Times. Therefore, Spirit’s return might trouble the Haitian company’s operations, which have been below par, according to many customers.

Besides Spirit Airlines, the other American-based airline companies that have been flying to Haiti in recent years are American Airlines and JetBlue Airways. Haitians hope these carriers will resume operations in the country again soon to provide even more options. 

Spirit does not have flights available to Port-au-Prince yet. The company did not reply to The Haitian Times’ request for comment on further details, including the reason tickets appear to be so cheap now. 

The post Spirit Airlines returns to Cap-Haïtien with fares starting at $118 appeared first on The Haitian Times.