Abu Dhabi’s New Lounge, Mobile’s Last Flight, and Other Airline News You May Have Missed This Week

From new flights to a new lounge opening, here are the most notable airline stories from this week that we did not cover in individual articles.

Spirit Starts New Flights

Spirit Airlines is in bankruptcy protection and trying to change its business model. While it figures out how to return to profit after losing money since 2020, Spirit is shifting its airplanes to routes where the carrier can maximize revenue. That’s why it’s opening a bunch of new flights, or restarting flights it had suspended, to warm-weather destinations and places popular with spring breakers:

• Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Pensacola (PNS): 3x weekly, begins March 20
• Detroit (DTW) to Pensacola (PNS): 3x weekly, begins March 22
• Milwaukee (MKE) to Fort Myers (RSW): 3x weekly, begins March 20
• Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) to Orlando (MCO): 4x weekly, begins March 19

The route changes were reported by The Bulkhead Seat.

Alaska Adds Flights to Where It’s Warm

Alaska Airlines is adding seasonal flying this winter to warm places, too. And this summer, it’s starting more flights to Alaska from the lower 48 states. Thhis January, the airline is starting a number of seasonal flights, according to analysis by Simple Flying:

• Boise (BOI) to Orlando (MCO): 3x weekly, ends March 23
• New York-Kennedy (JFK) to Puerto Vallarta (PVR): 4x weekly, ends April 20
• Portland, Oregon (PDX) to New Orleans (MSY): Daily, ends May 14
• Sacramento (SMF) to Los Cabos (SJD): 5x weekly, ends April 21
• Sacramento to Orlando (MCO): 4x weekly, ends April 21
• Sacramento to Tucson (TUS): Daily, ends April 21
• Sacramento to Puerto Vallarta: 2x weekly, ends April 19

Additionally, Alaska Airlines will start more seasonal flights later this month:

• Kansas City (MCI) to Cancun (CUN): Weekly from January 18 to August 9
• Kansas City to Puerto Vallarta: Weekly from January 25 to April 5
• St Louis (STL) to Puerto Vallarta: Weekly from January 25 to April 5

Alaska Airlines also said it’s going to start round-trip flights from Anchorage (ANC) to both Detroit and Sacramento this summer. The flights both run from June 14 to August 16 every Saturday. Daily round-trip service between Fairbanks (FAI) and Portland, Oregon, will run from May 15 to August 19.

United Now Flies From Los Angeles to Toronto

United Airlines isn’t done with international expansion. On May 22, it will start flying between Los Angeles (LAX) and Toronto (YYZ), SimpleFlying reported. The 4x weekly flights will depart Los Angeles at 11:45 p.m. and arrive in Toronto at 7:45 a.m. the next morning using Boeing 737-800s.

Goodbye, Mobile International Airport

Mobile International Airport (BFM) is losing its last commercial flight. On January 31, Breeze Airways will end its flights to Orlando (MCO), leaving the airport without scheduled service, The Bulkhead Seat reported.

The Alabama city’s main airport, Mobile Regional Airport (MOB), isn’t affected and continues to be served by American, Delta, and United. Mobile International had served scheduled flights only since 2019 and never managed to attract enough traffic.

The U.S. Gets the Brand-New Icelandair Airbus A321

Icelandair is getting brand-new Airbus A321neo LR — which stands for “Long Range” — jets. U.S. flyers will begin seeing those new Icelandic Airbuses this summer.

Aeroroutes reported that Icelandair will begin sending its A321s from Reykjavik (KEF) to Seattle (SEA), beginning April 30.

The jets also will be used to inaugurate the airline’s first service to Miami (MIA), beginning January 6, 2026. Also beginning in January next year, the Icelandair A321s will fly to Newark (EWR), New York-Kennedy (JFK), and Orlando (MCO). Flights to Portland, Oregon (PDX) will see the introduction of the A321 in October.

Condor Pares Back in the U.S.

German airline Condor is reducing flights to the U.S. That’s because it’s losing short-haul feeder flights in Germany that bigger competitor Lufthansa is no longer required to provide, based on a German court ruling.

As a consequence, Condor is ending flights from Frankfurt (FRA) to San Antonio (SAT), Phoenix (PHX), Baltimore-Washington (BWI), and Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP). Fortunately, Condor still offers many flights from U.S. airports, including New York-Kennedy (JFK) and Miami (MIA), to Frankfurt.

Those flights can be very attractive to book with points since Condor’s modern, lie-flat business class can be booked via Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan program.

A New Lounge in Abu Dhabi

Etihad Airways has opened a new lounge at its hub in Abu Dhabi (AUH): It’s the Etihad U.S. Preclearance Lounge. It’s open only to passengers flying to the United States, and it’s located right after the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preclearance facility.

The Abu Dhabi airport is one of the few places outside the United States where passengers can complete all U.S. customs and immigration formalities before boarding. They do not have to go through immigration when they arrive on U.S. soil.

Etihad said in a statement that the new space will have direct boarding from the lounge, available on select flights. It’s open to passengers flying in Etihad first or business class, and in The Residence, the private mini-apartment with a butler on Etihad’s Airbus A380s.

Platinum and Emerald members of the Etihad Guest program also are admitted. Access is also available for purchase, although the airline did not specify a price. Eligible guests also can use Etihad’s First or Business Class Lounge in the main terminal before going through U.S. preclearance.

Frontier Expands Codeshare Partnership With Volaris

Frontier Airlines is expanding its codeshare partnership with Mexican low-cost carrier Volaris, according to a route report by Aeroroutes. The airlines resumed their codeshare partnership nearly a year ago, and now 4 new routes will join the linkup during the summer of 2025:

• Between Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) and Oakland, California (OAK)
• Between Monterrey International Airport (MTY) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
• Between Monterrey and Houston Bush (IAH)
• Between Monterrey and Miami (MIA)

Flights will be operated by Volaris but will be bookable through Frontier’s sales channels, and the routes will start gradually from March 20, 2025. Once launched, Volaris will be the only carrier flying on the Oakland-Los Cabos route.

Air Wisconsin To Stop Flying as American Eagle

Air Wisconsin, which started flying in 1965, currently operates flights on behalf of American Airlines as American Eagle. That agreement will end in April, however. Going forward, Air Wisconsin will focus on charter services and Essential Air Service Program (EAS) markets. However, Air Wisconsin and American Airlines will maintain a codeshare and interline partnership going forward.

Air Wisconsin’s fleet of 60 aircraft is entirely composed of 50-seat CRJ-200 planes.

Final Thoughts

As points and miles travelers, we’re excited that there’s a new, beautiful lounge to look forward to and several new routes we can book with our rewards. And as aviation enthusiasts, we are very much looking forward to flying on those Airbus A321neos to Iceland — and telling you about the experience afterward.