Spirit Airlines will begin offering nonstop flights to Tampa from San Antonio International Airport next year.
The airport said Thursday the flights to Tampa — which will be offered on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays — will begin Jan. 11 and continue through April 5. Tickets are on sale now.
The option from the budget-friendly airline will begin as a seasonal schedule but "we know our travelers will use this new service to Tampa," Airport Director Jesus Saenz said in a statement. "Once Spirit sees that, the goal is to expand it to daily service that's offered year-round."
The Tampa flight — the airport's 45th nonstop destination — is the latest in recent string of additions that in late September brought announcement of the airport's first-ever nonstop service to Europe, a milestone in the local hospitality industry's drive to introduce the city to overseas markets.
Starting in May, Condor, a German carrier, plans to begin flying from San Antonio to Frankfurt, Germany. The announcement of that flight was followed by more new and expanded international and domestic destinations including to Torreón and Querétaro, Mexico — cities important to San Antonio's growing automotive industry.
The additions come after tourism marketing organization Visit San Antonio last year worked with Greater: SATX, the public-private regional economic development corporation, to create a fund to subsidize airlines for adding nonstop service. With backing from member companies including H-E-B, USAA, Holt Cat and Frost Bank, the fund in August was sitting on more than $2 million.
Its leading goal was to add a European destination, and officials have said they're still working to add a London direct flight.
For Spirit customers in San Antonio, Tampa is the third Florida destination after Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. The Florida-based carrier began service from San Antonio last year and now flies to seven destinations from the airport.
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