Cheap Airline News

Discount carrier Frontier Airlines adds 3 new cities from DFW Airport

Frontier Airlines/Facebook

Discount carrier Frontier Airlines is launching three new routes out of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), including round trip flights to El Paso.

According to a release, Frontier will add flights to three new destinations:

El Paso International Airport (ELP): On October 8, Frontier will launch nonstop service to ELP with flights three times per week.
Charleston International Airport in South Carolina (CHS): On October 9, Frontier will launch nonstop service to Charleston two times per week
Tucson International Airport in Arizona (TUS): On October 9, Frontier will launch nonstop service to Tucscon two times per week

Flights start at about $200 but they're debuting the service with introductory discount prices that range from $40 to $60, which appear to be one-way. Warning: You get what you pay for.

“We are delighted to announce this expansion of service at DFW, which will enable consumers to affordably travel to destinations in Texas, Arizona, and South Carolina,” says Frontier's vice president of network and operations design Josh Flyr. This story can hardly the first to point out the synchronicity of an airline VP with a last name of Flyr.

"With 37 nonstop destinations from DFW now available, now is a better time than ever for travelers to enjoy Frontier’s convenience, comfort and signature low fares," Flyr says.

Unfortunately, the release does not specify which days these flights take place. And if you try calling Frontier to find out, you'll be told there is a wait time of more than 100 minutes. But you'll be mysteriously disconnected from the call before that 100 minutes elapses.

If you initiate an online chat session, you'll get a bot.

If you harass the bot for a long enough period of time, you'll get bumped over to a customer service representative named "Utsav". Utsav does not know anything and will send you the same blurb over and over. Utsav will refuse to bump you up to his supervisor until you send a chat that says CONNECT ME TO YOUR SUPERVISOR in all-caps. Eventually Jayresh will join the chat, but will not respond to questions.

If you try to email Josh Flyr, your email will get bounced back.

This is what you get with a discount airline.

Restrictions on the discount introductory fares include: they must be purchased by 11:59 pm Eastern time on Jul. 28. Sale fares are valid for non-stop travel only on select days of week from October 7-December 18, but with big chunks of blackout dates over the holidays including November 21-26, November 28-30, and December 1-2. Not all markets are available for all dates of travel.

Flights from DFW to El Paso are currently offered by American Airlines and by Envoy Air, which is an American Airlines affiliate. A round-trip flight starts at about $209.

openings

Culinary Star

Canyon Ranch appoints Michelin chef for swanky new Hill Country resort

Val Cantú/Facebook

Well, shucks. Chef Val Cantú is all about masa.

A Central Texas-born chef with Michelin cred will return to his birthplace to head up the forthcoming Canyon Ranch Austin resort: Val Cantú, the chef behind two Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant Californios, will lead the kitchen at the resort's restaurant, Estella.

Canyon Ranch is a premier wellness destination resort and spa headquartered in Fort Worth, where there's a spa location at the Crescent Hotel. Canyon Ranch Austin is set to open in September 2026 in Spicewood, a Hill Country town just outside Austin.

The original Canyon Ranch, which opened in Tucson, Arizona in 1979, is highly regarded as one of the top health resorts in the world, earning three keys from Michelin — the highest ranking a hotel can get — and the chain lauds the wellness benefits of both modern science and "ancient wisdom."

The Austin restaurant will follow that same ethos, a release says.

“Estella will be light, bright, fresh, and clean,” says Cantú in the release. “It’s a distilled version of what I do that will be focused on seasonality, sourcing, and the kind of delicious food that makes you feel good after you eat it.”

Canyon Ranch operates some of the country's most acclaimed spas. Facebook Canyon Ranch

Cantú is developing the menu with experience from fine dining and his personal Texas heritage; he was raised in Brownwood, about 150 miles northwest of Austin, where his father owned a Mexican restaurant. Tortillas are an important part of what's to come at Estella.

“When I’m making tortillas, I feel connected at a root level,” says Cantú. “It reminds me of making tortillas with my grandmother and my dad.”

Canyon Ranch CEO Mark Rivers emphasized Cantú's well-balanced approach: “Chef Val brings a rare combination of technical mastery, cultural authenticity, and emotional intelligence to his cooking," he says. "His approach aligns perfectly with how we think about wellness as intentional, thoughtful, and rooted in real life.”

Californios dishes If Estella is anything like Californios, presentation will be a huge factor.Photo courtesy of Californios

Although the release does not share how much Estella will have in common with Californios, it's easy to imagine that the artistic plating and education about the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica will carry over.

“This is a homecoming for me," Cantú says. "Cooking in the Hill Country allows me to return to the flavors, ingredients, and traditions that first shaped who I am."

spas resorts wellness openings mexican cuisine chefs