Here is a report on budget-friendly airlines and their operational market share. This is for Boston Airport Shuttle readers and our regular customers who follow our blog for Boston Airport News and Boston Road Transportation News.
SUMMARY
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) hosts numerous low-cost carriers, such as Norse Atlantic Airways, Allegiant Air, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and JetBlue. Among them, JetBlue stands out as the leading low-cost carrier at this major facility. Notably, JetBlue is the sole airline providing transatlantic narrowbody flights from BOS to Europe.
Although Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is not counted among the largest mega hubs in the United States (US), it remains one of the significant airports on the Eastern Coast. In 2022, BOS served 17.4 million travelers, a notable decrease from its peak of 20.7 million in 2019, just before the pandemic. Nevertheless, the airport maintains connections with nearly 50 airlines, encompassing domestic carriers and international airlines from various continents, facilitating passenger travel to and from Massachusetts’s largest airport.
The airlines cover a spectrum, including high-end carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways, as well as more budget-friendly choices like Spirit Airlines. We delve into some of the prominent low-cost carriers operating to/from BOS. All flight schedule information is derived from Cirium, the aviation analytics company, using April 2024 as a reference point, aligning with the commencement of the upcoming International Air Transport Association (IATA) summer season in 2024.
Norse Atlantic Airways
There are 60 return flights scheduled.
Aircraft type(s) utilized: Boeing 787-9
Emerging from the aftermath of Norwegian Air’s discontinuation of long-haul operations during its restructuring, Norse Atlantic Airways (Norse) commenced operations by leasing Boeing 787-9s formerly operated by Norwegian. BOS is among the destinations served by Norse Atlantic, operating under its United Kingdom Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from London Gatwick Airport (LGW). Norse took to the skies in June 2022, currently deploying ten Boeing 787-9 aircraft under both its Norwegian and UK AOCs.
Nevertheless, BOS is a recent addition to Norse’s roster, as the long-haul low-cost carrier is slated to initiate flights to this destination in April 2024. Throughout the month, it is scheduled to provide 60 services between LGW and BOS, maintaining a daily flight schedule until November 2024. However, additional data beyond this period is currently unavailable as of the time of writing.
Allegiant Air
There are 106 return flights scheduled.
Types of aircraft used: Airbus A319 and Airbus A320.
Allegiant Air conducts both scheduled and charter flights. Specifically, in April 2024, there are 106 scheduled return flights to BOS. The destinations encompass Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), and Destin Fort Walton Beach International Airport (VPS).
According to flight schedules, Allegiant Air plans to include Indianapolis International Airport (IND) and Norfolk International Airport (ORF) as new destinations in its route network from BOS, commencing in May 2024. Currently, the airline has not scheduled any flights from the airport beyond September 2024. However, Allegiant Air will conduct its itineraries to and from BOS using either Airbus A319 or Airbus A320 aircraft, as its initial Boeing 737 MAX deliveries are postponed until the following year.
Southwest Airlines
There are 1,028 return flights scheduled.
Types of aircraft used: Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800, and Boeing 737 MAX.
While there may be debate about whether Southwest Airlines qualifies as a strictly no-frills airline, given its numerous passenger benefits that other low-cost carriers often monetize, the company shares several characteristics typical of such carriers. One prominent feature is its consistent use of a single aircraft type, as Southwest Airlines has remained a devoted operator of Boeing 737 planes since its inaugural flight in June 1971.
What stands out is that, despite scheduling over 1,000 return flights from BOS in April 2024, Southwest Airlines exclusively serves five destinations: Nashville International Airport (BNA), Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI), Denver International Airport (DEN), Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), and St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL).
Spirit Airlines
There are 1,376 return flights scheduled.
Types of aircraft used: Airbus A320ceo, Airbus A321ceo, and Airbus A320neo.
Spirit Airlines is renowned as a leading economical choice for U.S. consumers, aligning with the model of numerous global ultra-low-cost carriers like Ryanair. Despite cultural distinctions, Spirit Airlines introduced its appropriately named loyalty program, ‘Free Spirit.’ As an all-Airbus operator, it shares various characteristics with Ryanair, excluding perhaps the cheeky social media administration characteristic of the Irish airline.
However, Spirit Airlines provides an extensive array of flights to and from BOS, encompassing over a dozen destinations in its network from the airport. Despite this, aside from daily flights to San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico, the airline exclusively operates flights to destinations within the continental United States from BOS.
JetBlue
There are 8,990 return flights scheduled.
Types of aircraft used: Airbus A220-300, Airbus A320ceo, Airbus A321ceo, Airbus A321neo, and Embraer E190.
JetBlue has established itself as a significant airline in Boston, showcasing its connection to three major league sports teams in the city: the Bruins (NHL), Celtics (NBA), and Red Sox (MLB). An additional distinctive livery celebrates a sports team—the ‘BK Blue’ features a Brooklyn Nets-themed paint job on an Airbus A320, registered as N633JB.
However, JetBlue, akin to Southwest, faces scrutiny regarding its low-cost associations, particularly with the introduction of Mint Suites for transatlantic flights, including those from BOS. Nevertheless, the airline operates planes with an all-economy class layout that lacks the now-iconic Mint seats. Regarding BOS, JetBlue holds the position of the largest airline in terms of scheduled flights from the airport in April 2024, surpassing Delta Air Lines, which offers approximately 8,881 flights from the airport during the same month.
What sets the airline’s route network apart is its distinction as the sole carrier in this list to operate narrowbody aircraft on Transatlantic flights, serving destinations like Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS), Paris Charles De Gaulle International Airport (CDG), Dublin Airport (DUB), LGW, and London Heathrow Airport (LHR). In contrast, Delta Air Lines, while not a low-cost carrier, deploys Boeing 757s for European routes from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and has no scheduled single-aisle jet flights across the Atlantic from BOS.
Image Credits- Logan Airport
.jpg){kind=link}