Months after Brightline was told its “drastically discounted” ticket prices will lead to a default on its debts, the railroad reports South Florida passengers’ fares fell in January while Orlando riders paid near-record high rates.
Average fares paid by riders in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties cost $22.55 in January, a $4.33 drop from 12 months prior.
Average Orlando fares hit $80.54, an increase of more than $20 from January 2025 and almost as high as the $82.38 record-high in March 2025.
The company’s South Florida revenues increased by about $100,000, reaching $2.9 million.
Its Orlando route brought in $12.8 million, an increase of about $900,000. Brightline’s other sources of revenue include baggage fees and the sale of food and drinks onboard.
Brightline brought in a total of $19.2 million in January, a $2.3 million increase from 12 months prior.
“We’re happy with the revenue numbers,” Brightline spokesperson Ashley Blasewitz said.
Brightline raised ticket prices for business, first-class Orlando trips
Brightline in 2025 cut single-ride fares multiple times in South Florida and revived a commuter pass program for regional riders. Passengers can buy 10- to 40-ride passes, amounting to less than $11 per ride at their cheapest.
South Florida’s estimated 1,150 commuter pass riders took 22,000 rides in January, Brightline reported. That is a substantial increase from about 560 passholders taking 8,900 rides in May 2025, when Brightline reintroduced the service after canceling it in 2024.
While Brightline cut South Florida fares over the past year, it raised Orlando ticket prices for business class — called Smart class — and first-class trips. Average business class fares rose more than $11 during the 12 months ending in January, nearly reaching $69. First-class fares rose by more than $2, hitting $125.45.
Ridership between Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties broke 129,000 in January, nearly 26,000 more than 12 months prior.
Orlando ridership dropped by about 3,500 trips. That’s the first drop on that part of Brightline’s service since it began running trains to Orlando International Airport in 2023.
Financial ratings firm saw trouble in Brightline’s train ticket prices
Brightline runs the risk of defaulting on about $2.2 billion of debt by early 2027 without big increases in revenue, credit ratings agency KBRA said in a Feb. 6 report. Standard and Poor in December predicted a January 2027 default, calling Brightline’s fares in 2025 “drastically discounted.”
One bright spot for Brightline, KBRA reported, was adding five cars to its lineup that were delivered in December that may help the company sell more first-class tickets.
“While initial post-expansion results are encouraging, with ridership and ticket revenue outperforming expectations in November and December, the key question is the scale of growth in 2026,” KBRA’s report said.
Brightline lost more than $179.5 million during the first nine months of 2025. It lost $549 million in 2024. It has yet to turn a profit since its 2018 launch.
Michael Reininger, CEO of Brightline’s parent company, Brightline Holdings, was replaced in January with Nicolas Petrovic, the former CEO of the European high-speed passenger rail company Eurostar.
Email news tips and ideas to Chris Persaud at cpersaud@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Brightline’s South Florida fares drop in January as Orlando rates soar
Reporting by Chris Persaud, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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