Spirit Airlines announced it was permanently shutting down after 34 years in business, with the airline canceling all flights at 3 a.m. ET on Saturday. The airline's website is now redirecting to spiritrestructuring.com, advising passengers not to go to airports, while air traffic control records captured emotional goodbyes between controllers and pilots as the last flights landed.
The ultra-low-cost airline pioneered the low-cost model in the US. It offered no-frills flights with tickets starting at $20, charging separately for baggage and seat selection. The company expanded aggressively after the market was liberalized in the 2000s.
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According to a statement on the airline's website, refunds for tickets purchased with credit and debit cards have been issued and will be processed by Spirit Airlines. A company lawyer said the closure would affect 17,000 jobs, while the Air Line Pilots Association said the more than 2,000 pilots, as well as flight attendants, engineers, managers and ground staff "deserved a better ending."
Airlines help Spirit Airlines passengers
For stranded travelers, other airlines have announced various “rescue” options. Southwest is offering special fares for Spirit Airlines ticket holders , while JetBlue is offering $99 one-way tickets for travelers with Spirit reservations .
American Airlines announced ticket rescues on Spirit routes where it offers nonstop service and said it was looking at adding capacity with larger aircraft and more flights. United said Spirit customers can “purchase discounted fares on most one-way flights to Spirit” (through May 16). Frontier announced “system-wide discounts” and said it would add “nine additional routes, plus 15 additional daily flights to 18 former Spirit markets.”
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Geopolitical tensions and rising fuel prices behind the closure
The airline's closure follows the company's extensive efforts to restructure the business and pursue transactions to strengthen its financial position. Unfortunately, despite the efforts, the recent increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit 's financial outlook .
Dave Davis, President and CEO of Spirit Airlines, said: “For more than 30 years, Spirit Airlines has been a pioneer in making travel more affordable and bringingpeople together. In March 2026, the company reached an agreement with its bondholders on a restructuring plan that would allow it to emerge as a viable business. However, the sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices in recent weeks has left it with no alternative.
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The crisis was triggered by a doubling in fuel prices amid President Trump 's escalating military actions against Iran , which cut off oil supplies from the Middle East . Analysts such as Cowen Aviation 's Helane Becker have called Spirit 's model "unsustainable in times of high fuel prices," citing losses of $1.2 billion in 2025 on revenue of $4.5 billion .
