Spirit Airlines, which has been one of the fastest-growing carriers in the Caribbean in the last several years, is planning a major fleet expansion. 

The low-cost airline has signed a memorandum of understanding for 100 new Airbus planes, with a mix of Airbus A319neo, A320neo and A321neo. 

Spirit said the memorandum also included an option to purchase up to 50 additional planes. 

“This new order represents another milestone for Spirit,” said Ted Christie, president and chief executive officer of Spirit Airlines. “The additional aircraft will be used to support Spirit’s growth as we add new destinations and expand our network across the U.S, Latin America and the Caribbean. We look forward to working with our valued partners at Airbus to finalize our agreement.”

Spirit currently operates a fleet of 138 Airbus A320-family aircraft. 

“The Airbus A320 Family has been a strong platform for the remarkable success of Spirit over the past several years,” said Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer. “The continuing confidence in the A320 expressed by the airline certainly lifts our spirits, and we look forward to being a part of the Spirit team’s continued growth for many, many years to come.”

Spirit’s Caribbean growth has been surging in 2019, with new flight launches across the region, including a major expansion to the Caribbean out of the Orlando market.

— CJ