Brightline faces bankruptcy, but the South Florida-Orlando passenger train company is still offering big discounts to rail riders this summer.
Passengers traveling within Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties can get two tickets for the price of one if they book a business class ride by June 13 for some trips departing by June 14.
Trips between South Florida and the company’s Orlando International Airport station will have a discount of up to 20% for trips booked by May 28 for rides departing by July 31.
What are the details on the South Florida BOGO deal?
The South Florida buy-one-get-one deal applies to trips taken on weekdays after 7 p.m. or all day on Saturdays and Sundays.
Ordinarily, a one-way trip from Brightline’s downtown West Palm Beach station to its downtown Miami station during the eligible times costs $23 for one adult. A trip from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale during BOGO-eligible times would ordinarily cost $19.
What are the details on the Orlando discount?
To get the discount to or from Orlando, enter the promotional code “MAY20B” when booking a trip online at gobrightline.com or through the rail company’s smartphone app. On the company’s website, click “Add promo code” before clicking “Search Tickets.” Passengers will see the discount on the checkout page just before paying.
Brightline’s business class trips from West Palm Beach to Orlando ordinarily cost $44. But the company has cut that to $39, which is further discounted with the “MAY20B” code.
Why does Brightline face difficulty?
Brightline carried nearly 1.2 million passengers from January through April, a 15% increase over the same time period in 2025.
Despite record ridership, Brightline faces bankruptcy.
The rail line lost more than $233 million in 2025 despite higher revenues than 2024, according to its annual financial statement, prepared by consulting firm Ernst & Young and released April 30. Credit rating agencies warned in December 2025 that the company would default on its debts and go bankrupt by early 2027 on its current trajectory.
Brightline has a $2.2 billion long-term debt and owes another $2.5 billion in interest over the life of that debt.
How much tax money has Brightline gotten or benefited from?
Despite the gloomy outlook, local government agencies in Florida aim to expand Brightline into their counties.
The Space Coast Transportation OrganizationIn seeks $57 million from the federal government to help build a station in Cocoa in Brevard County. The TPO will pony up $15.5, with $5 million more from the Brevard County Tourism Development Council, and $5 million from the city of Cocoa.
Nearly $500 million from federal, state and local government agencies have been either given directly to Brightline or spent on facilities for it, a Miami Herald/WLRN investigation in 2025 found.
Brightline is “currently engaged with our partners on various options to enhance our balance sheet and position our company for long-term success,” spokeswoman Ashley Blasewitz told The Palm Beach Post in mid-May.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Brightline offers BOGO South Florida rides as it faces bankruptcy
Reporting by Chris Persaud, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
