New Flight Options Can Help You Save $1,000 to the Kentucky Derby

Updated: June 4, 2026, 2:36am CDT

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Airlines Add Flights to Kentucky Derby
Booking Flights to the Kentucky Derby
Final Thoughts

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The Kentucky Derby is taking place May 1 and 2, and several airlines are boosting flights to the Bluegrass State so you can catch the races.

American Airlines and Spirit Airlines have added additional flights to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF), and it wouldn’t surprise us if more airlines did the same.

Get your outfits ready and pour yourself a mint julep: here are your options for getting to the 2026 Kentucky Derby.

Airlines Add Flights to Kentucky Derby

With the Kentucky Derby just a few months away, several airlines have already announced increases in service to Louisville (SDF).

American Airlines announced on February 13 that it would add special flights from more than a dozen cities to Louisville between April 30 and May 3. Specifically, American’s major hubs, such as Charlotte (CLT), Dallas (DFW), Philadelphia (PHL), and Washington, D.C. (DCA), will get extra flights and larger aircraft on peak travel dates.

Here’s a look at some of the frequencies and aircraft American will use:

Charlotte (CLT): 6x flights on April 30 and May 1; 6x flights on May 3 on a mix of dual-class narrowbody aircraft
Philadelphia (PHL): 2x flights on April 30; 3x flights on May 3 using the Airbus A319 and Embraer 175
Washington, D.C. (DCA): 3x flights on April 30; 3x flights on May 3 using the Airbus A319 and Embraer 175

American will also add limited flights from airports not regularly served by the airline to SDF, such as Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), and New Orleans (MSY). From LA, American will use the Airbus A321T, which features Flagship Business and Flagship First for those who want to fly in style!

But American isn’t the only airline adding flights to Louisville. Spirit Airlines will offer 2x weekly flights from Newark (EWR) and will increase frequency from Orlando (MCO) between April 30 and May 3.

Booking Flights to the Kentucky Derby

Virtually every airline has flights to Louisville from its major hubs. The problem? They’re extremely expensive. While American is increasing flight options to Louisville, you can expect to pay over $1,000 round-trip for an economy ticket from cities like New York. You’ll find similar pricing on mainline carriers like Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

Award tickets are available for American’s flights; we’re seeing economy tickets for 81,500 AAdvantage miles round-trip.

AA SDF Awards — Image Credit: American Airlines

The cheapest tickets we’re seeing (from the New York region and Orlando) are, by far, on Spirit. We’ve uncovered round-trip tickets as low as $121, or 9,500 Free Spirit points, which is an incredible deal for such a busy travel period.

EWR SDF Spirit — Image Credit: Google Flights

Bottom Line:

Even when accounting for extra fees like seat selection and baggage, you’ll save hundreds of dollars flying Spirit compared to flying on a full-service carrier.

Final Thoughts

Several airlines are adding flights to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby, but if the high prices are discouraging, you still have options. First, you can use points or miles to get there (and make sure to monitor award availability with a tool like Seats.aero). Second, consider flying a low-cost carrier like Spirit to save hundreds of dollars on your flight.