Virgin America will launch Philadelphia service on April 4, operating two daily flights to San Francisco and three to Los Angeles.
Virgin America will compete with United and US Airways on both transcontinental routes. Southwest flies nonstop from Los Angeles to Baltimore/Washington, which is about 100 miles from Philadelphia.
“When more airlines compete, consumers win — with lower fares and better service,” said Virgin America CEO David Cush. “Travelers deserve more options than just the typical legacy airline cattle car, and we hope our unique brand of low fares and inventive service will be a breath of fresh air for Philadelphians.”
Many travelers try to avoid high fares on nonstop flights to California by taking connecting flights, Virgin America said. The airline said 50% of air travelers use connecting flights between Philadelphia and Los Angeles, and that 45% use connecting flights between Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay Area.
“When entering markets that offer little low-fare competition, Virgin America has historically seen fares drop by up to one-third,” the airline said.