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Spirit Airlines, the carrier that revolutionized the industry with its provocative ads and heavily discounted fares, announced on Saturday that it would cease operations after 34 years.
The ultra low-cost airline, which once operated hundreds of daily flights in its bright yellow planes and employed some 17,000 people, said it had
“begun an orderly reduction of our operations, with immediate effect.”
"All flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available" "It is with great disappointment that Spirit Airlines has started winding down its global operations, effective immediately."
"While we are not able to help rebook your flight on another airline, we will automatically process refunds for any flights purchased through Spirit with a credit or debit card to the original form of payment."
"We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry for the last 33 years and had hoped to serve our Guests for many years to come."
Spirit Airlines, that revolutionized the industry with its provocative ads and heavily discounted fares, announced on Saturday the cessation of its operations after more than three decades, thus confirming the rumors that emerged on Friday.
All of its flights have been cancelled and its customer service is no longer available, the company said on its website.
“We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the past 34 years and looked forward to serving our customers for many more years,” the firm said in its statement.
The airline informed customers that they could receive refunds, but that they would not be helped to book flights with other companies.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said travelers with Spirit flights booked could access special fares on other airlines for a limited time, and noted that other carriers would help pilots and flight attendants from the bankrupt firm return to their home cities.
In a statement, Duffy explained that those affected could check with their credit card issuer or travel insurance company for information on refunds.
President Donald Trump's administration had considered a government bailout to prevent the company, which had major liquidity problems, from going bankrupt, but no agreement was reached.
Trump floated the idea of a bailout last week after the company was embroiled in bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in less than two years, with jet fuel prices soaring due to the Iran trade war.
Spirit has faced financial difficulties since the COVID-19 pandemic, burdened by rising operating costs and mounting debt. By the time it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024, it had already lost more than $2.5 billion since the beginning of 2020.
The low-cost airline again filed for bankruptcy protection in August 2025, when it reported $8.1 billion in debt and $8.6 billion in assets, according to court documents.
Supporters of a bailout, including unions representing Spirit's pilots, flight attendants, and ground staff—argued that bankruptcy would leave thousands of Americans jobless and harm consumers by reducing competition among airlines and increasing airfares. Some 17,000 jobs could be affected by the closure, according to Spirit's attorney, Marshall Huebner.
Travelers and tourists on tighter budgets will likely feel Spirit's absence the most, especially in places where it had a strong presence, such as Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando in Florida.
The airline carried approximately 1.7 million domestic passengers in February, about half a million fewer than in the same month of 2025, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Furthermore, it had drastically reduced its capacity, with roughly half the number of seats available this month compared to May 2024.
In a latest news, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport is advising Spirit Airlines passengers to not come to the airport,
"Spirit Airlines has ceased operations. Spirit passengers should not come to the airport."
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