NEW YORK, Sept 10 (Reuters) - JetBlue Airways ( JBLU )

said on Wednesday it is expanding service from Fort Lauderdale,

Florida, as U.S. airlines rush to expand service in the key

markets of bankrupt discount carrier Spirit Airlines.

New York-based JetBlue ( JBLU ) is offering nine new nonstop routes from

Southern Florida across the United States, Latin America, and

the Caribbean, as rivals, including United Airlines and

Frontier Group ( ULCC ), also rush to cash in on Spirit's second

bankruptcy filing in less than a year.

JetBlue ( JBLU ) said it will offer 113 daily flights during peak

times this winter to cement its position as the airline with the

most departures from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International

Airport. Its nine new routes, starting in November, will

include, for the first time, Cali, Colombia.

The company said in July it would expand its Mint service, a

premium travel option with seats that lie flat, as airlines look

to capture premium spending from U.S. consumers.

JetBlue ( JBLU ) said it expects a smaller decline in its third-quarter

operating revenue than it anticipated earlier, citing strong

demand for air travel through the summer and Labor Day weekend.

Regional carrier Allegiant Air on Tuesday announced three

new routes launching in February, including one from Fort

Lauderdale to Chattanooga, Tennessee.

United said this month it will expand its footprint in

Spirit's markets, including Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Las

Vegas, while ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier is setting its

sights on new routes in the U.S., Latin America, and the

Caribbean.