Frontier Airlines has announced it will discontinue its service at Seattle Paine Field International Airport in January 2024, just seven months after initiating routes from the Everett airport. The budget airline began operations in June 2023, offering flights twice a week to popular destinations including Denver, Las Vegas, and Phoenix.
The decision to end service comes as a disappointment to Propeller Airports, which manages the Seattle Paine Field Passenger Terminal. The company had anticipated that the new routes would attract an additional 100,000 travelers annually. However, on Friday, Frontier indicated that it would cease its Paine Field operations in “early January.” A spokesperson for the airline stated, “We periodically review and update routes based on market demand. We greatly value our partnership with Paine Field and, as with any market departure, we will continue to evaluate a potential return at some point in the future.”
The Daily Herald was the first outlet to report this development. Frontier’s exit leaves Paine Field with only one significant airline, Alaska Airlines, which offers flights to various California cities alongside Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Honolulu.
Located about 30 miles north of downtown Seattle, Paine Field promotes itself as a less congested alternative to the larger Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Despite the changes made by Frontier, demand for air travel remains robust. Brett Smith, CEO of Propeller Airports, expressed optimism in a statement, saying, “While Frontier has made strategic changes in recent weeks, including its exit from Paine Field, demand remains strong, and travelers will continue to have access to the same destinations through Alaska.”
Frontier will maintain its operations from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, continuing to offer flights to Denver, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, which were also part of its Paine Field routes. The airline’s departure highlights the challenges low-cost carriers face in establishing sustainable operations in competitive markets.
