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Travelers affected by Spirit Airlines shutdown might face challenges getting refunds or alternate flights.
Spirit Airlines shuts down, leaving passengers scrambling
Spirit Airlines introduced it was suspending operations after years of economic hardships, compounded by a current spike in gasoline costs.
- Spirit Airlines has suspended operations attributable to long-standing monetary points.
- Getting refunds for tickets or rebooked on different airways can be difficult for affected vacationers.
- The airline’s frequent flyer program miles will doubtless lose all their worth.
NEW YORK – Spirit Airlines introduced on May 2 that it was suspending operations after years of economic hardships, compounded by a current spike in gasoline costs.
The historic Marine Air Terminal, the place Spirit’s operation is housed at LaGuardia International Airport in New York, was largely abandoned on Saturday morning. There had been few passengers, however a plethora of indicators explaining that the airline had shuttered its operations. Airport staff directed the one or two passengers who did nonetheless present as much as head to different terminals the place they might rebook themselves on different airways.
All flights have been canceled, and the road’s customer support is not accessible.
“For more than 30 years, Spirit Airlines has played a pioneering role in making travel more accessible and bringing people together while driving affordability across the industry,” Dave Davis, Spirit’s president and CEO mentioned in a press release. “The sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices in recent weeks ultimately has left us with no alternative but to pursue an orderly wind-down of the Company. Sustaining the business required hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and could not procure. This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted.”
The airline had gone by means of a number of bankruptcies however had been unable to steadiness its books. A proposed bailout by the Trump administration additionally did not materialize in time to maintain the airline flying.
Now, passengers are left scrambling as flights had been instantly canceled throughout the airline’s community.
Amanda Daniel of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and her household of 4 had deliberate to fly Spirit out of Nashville on Sunday to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after which board a Disney cruise on Monday. When they bought the information at 2 a.m. Saturday that the household’s flight was canceled they rapidly booked a Delta flight out of Atlanta for Saturday.
“The ones from Nashville were all $1000 + more. We didn’t wait for the news of any discounts,” she mentioned. “We hope we get our money for our flight. … I’m just happy that it all seems to be working out for us because I know it’s not for others.”
Tisha Savage, who described herself as “a huge supporter of Spirit,” was discovering it notably onerous to get a flight house to Nashville from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, which had been a Spirit hub.
While in search of a ticket she did see proof that different airways had been providing decrease one-way fares for stranded Spirit vacationers. Still some price $400 to $650. Meanwhile an Allegiant flight was $59 however wasn’t flying till May 24. That left her in search of return flights from different Florida airports together with Orlando and Miami. She thought-about herself fortunate as a result of she has household in West Palm Beach (mother, stepdad and brother). “It was the most affordable way to see family and visit Florida clients … and just an easy way to travel.”
Some like Austin Gafner, a musician and educator in Appleton, Wisconsin, had solely good phrases for the airline lamenting its closure in response to its Instagram submit. “I’ve taken this airline many times myself and always enjoyed it! Never had a bad experience with you guys. You almost always had the best prices, which will certainly be missed, especially now,” he wrote. “Thanks for the bachelor party flights to Vegas, Disney World flights in the winter, and most importantly of all, thanks for getting my parents to my wedding! I’ll miss the yellow Airbusses in the skies!”
Spirit was making an attempt to return out of its second chapter submitting in recent times earlier than rising gasoline prices pushed it over the sting.
“Spirit, for all the talk about how small the (ultra low cost carriers) are individually, it’s a pretty big route map,” William J. McGee, senior fellow for aviation and journey on the American Economic Liberties Project, informed USA TODAY.
What occurs to passengers with issued tickets?
Unfortunately, for passengers whose flights had been canceled, there’s not a lot assist accessible to them instantly. By ending its operations, Spirit was successfully acknowledging it was incapable of getting individuals to their locations.
“It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately. To our Guests: all flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available,” a press release on the now-defunct airline’s website says.
Even getting rebooked on different flights is more likely to be a problem. A press release from Spirit on social media mentioned it might not be capable of help with rebooking.
“It’s a really awful situation. You could be stranded on the road. We often think of it, of those who are about to depart on a trip. What about those who are already on a trip?” McGee mentioned.
He warned that throughout the board, flights are fuller than ever, which means different airways have restricted capability to accommodate Spirit passengers who’re stranded.
Will passengers really get a refund on tickets?
Spirit Airlines mentioned it might robotically course of refunds for flights bought by means of a card to the unique type of cost. But those that booked flights by means of a voucher, present credit score, airline factors, or one other means can be decided by means of the chapter courtroom course of.
The airways pointed clients to claims agent, Epiq, which might be reached by electronic mail: [email protected], or cellphone: (855) 952-6606 (for toll-free U.S. and Canada calls) or (971) 715-2831 (for worldwide calls).
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned in a press release that vacationers who booked with a bank card ought to contemplate submitting for a chargeback with their issuer.
The assertion additionally mentioned that vacationers ought to test if their journey insurance coverage covers “insolvency” or “service cessation.”
For those that select to file for compensation by means of the formal chapter course of, Duffy warned that the method would take time and will not end in a full refund.
What occurs with Spirit’s reward program?
Free Spirit factors are not legitimate, in response to the airline.
“Given Spirit Airlines’ immediate wind-down of operations, Free Spirit points are no longer redeemable, and there are no flights available for purchase. Plans for the loyalty program will be determined at a later date through the bankruptcy process,” a press release on the restructuring website says.
What occurs to Spirit-branded bank cards?
Every airline liquidation is completely different, in response to McGee, so it’s onerous to say precisely what’s going to occur with co-branded bank cards, that are issued by Bank of America.
Most doubtless, the playing cards will proceed to work for purchases however will not generate airline factors or miles.
Bank of America might provide cardholders the possibility to transform their factors to a different of its accomplice applications or might let future purchases on Free Spirit bank cards generate factors within the financial institution’s personal reward ecosystem, however the financial institution has not but launched a press release on its plans.
How did we get right here?
Spirit Airlines has had monetary points for years, compounded by engine issues that stored lots of its planes grounded and an uneven restoration throughout the journey trade following the pandemic.
The airline had gone by means of two bankruptcies within the final two years, partly attributable to a slower restoration in finances journey for the reason that Covid pancemic. Airlines together with competing finances carriers have doubled down on making an attempt to enchantment to extra premium vacationers, however Spirit’s naked bones enterprise mannequin and repute for primary service made it onerous for the corporate to seize higher-spending passengers.
That was compounded by an engine recall that affected dozens of jets within the airline’s fleet, which pressured the corporate to cut back its flying even because it was making an attempt to develop its income.
Spirit was in talks into 2022 to merge with ultra-low-cost rival Frontier Airlines, however Spirit’s shareholders had been poised to reject the proposal in favor of a merger with JetBlue.
Spirit and JetBlue did plan to merge, though analysts on the time warned that it was unlikely to be authorized by regulators, and would doubtless result in greater costs for shoppers in a method that the Spirit-Frontier merger might not have.
The Biden administration in the end blocked the merger with JetBlue in 2024. At that time, Spirit was already struggling financially and had few prospects for a turnaround or company help.
Although the Trump administration floated the thought of the federal government receiving warrants for a 90% stake within the airline in change for $500 million, Spirit’s present shareholders balked and the deal by no means got here collectively.
“In the end, this was a creditor issue,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned throughout a May 2 information convention. “They have the final say of whether they want to do a deal with the government, but also from the government’s perspective, we oftentimes don’t have a half a billion dollars laying around in a spare account that we can put into a bailout of an airline. So, there was creative thinking on how it could happen. … In the end, a deal couldn’t be reached.”
Spirit Airlines was shedding floor within the U.S. market, with sharp declines in passengers, market share and future capability, in response to preliminary home information from Cirium, an aviation analytics firm.
In February 2026, Spirit carried about 1.7 million home passengers, giving it a 3.9% market share, down from 5.1% a yr earlier – a 24% drop in share. Year over yr, the airline flew roughly 500,000 fewer passengers domestically in contrast with February 2025. Meanwhile, rivals together with Southwest Airlines and American Airlines both grew or held regular, underscoring Spirit’s relative decline.
Spirit had scheduled simply 1.65 million seats for May 2026, representing 1.77% of complete U.S. capability – far behind the biggest carriers. That determine marked a 51.6% year-over-year discount in capability, the steepest drop amongst main airways tracked by Cirium, whilst general U.S. airline capability is about to rise barely.
The airline’s community stays concentrated in main leisure markets like Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Las Vegas, the place passenger demand is mostly robust year-round, so vacationers usually tend to be affected by its shutdown than enterprise vacationers.
Could different airways exit of enterprise subsequent?
Other low price airways together with Avelo and Frontier lately requested the Trump administration for a $2.5 billion bailout package deal, however Duffy mentioned that is pointless at this level.
“They do have access to cash,” he mentioned in the course of the information convention.
Contributing: Reuters
This story was up to date so as to add new info.
Zach Wichter is a journey reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He relies in New York, and you’ll attain him at [email protected].
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