Flying in the United States hasn’t been easy lately.

Thousands of flights have been canceled in recent months

There have been many delays, cancellations, and staffing shortages. Some airlines are canceling routes altogether, while others are adding in new routes. And, there are some newer airlines entering the market as well. We’ve been keeping an eye on the fight between JetBlue Airways and Frontier Airlines to buy Spirit Airlines, and it looks like we might finally have a winner.

JetBlue Airways will buy Spirit Airlines for $3.8 billion, according to CNBC. It was announced that their board of directors have approved this merger agreement, which will make the airline the fifth-largest in the United States.

©Getty Images

This deal follows a months-long battle to acquire the budget airline, with JetBlue competing against Frontier Airlines, who originally had a merger deal in the works. But, on Wednesday, July 27th, it was announced that the merger between Spirit and Frontier was no longer happening.

©Spirit Airlines

If the JetBlue deal is approved by regulators, it would make Frontier the largest discount airline carrier in the U.S. and it would also be the first major U.S. airline deal since 2016. This deal will also help JetBlue compete more with large carriers like Delta, United, American, and Southwest.

©Frontier Airlines

“We are excited to deliver this compelling combination that turbocharges our strategic growth, enabling JetBlue to bring our unique blend of low fares and exceptional service to more customers, on more routes,” said Robin Hayes, JetBlue’s chief executive officer, according to Business Wire.

This deal will also increase the relevance of JetBlue in several key focus cities, like Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, San Juan, and Los Angeles, as well as the Big Four airline hubs of Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, and Miami.

Orlando International Airport

JetBlue plans to re-do Spirit’s yellow planes with interiors similar to the JetBlue planes, which would have seatback screens and more legroom.

JetBlue’s all-cash offer for Spirit changed the trajectory of Spirit’s original merger plans with Frontier. Both airlines competed for Spirit, making their offers better and better. It’s also a bit surprising, since Spirit had repeatedly rejected JetBlue’s previous offers.

©Spirit Airlines

So, we’ll have to wait and see if the deal is approved. In the meantime, you can check out which airlines will now be offering more routes to the Orlando International Airport, the TWO airlines guests recommend when flying to Disney World, and which airline will no longer fly to Orlando.

And, don’t forget that a NEW terminal will be opening up at Orlando International Airport in September. It will feature a bunch of different carriers, new technology, and many new stores and restaurants.

Orlando International Airport

Stay tuned to DFB for more travel news and updates.

Travel Is EXPENSIVE Right Now, But That’s Not Stopping People

Which airline is your favorite to fly with? Tell us in the comments.