Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines announced early Saturday that it is ceasing operations and that all flights have been canceled, stranding thousands of customers.
The announcement came one day after reports that Spirit would shut down following the Trump administration’s failure to reach a bailout agreement with the airline. President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that a final offer had been made to Spirit.
Spirit has filed for bankruptcy twice in the past two years. The airline said this time it could not continue flying amid higher oil and fuel prices.
“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,” said Dave Davis, Spirit’s president and CEO. “In March 2026, we reached an agreement with our bondholders on a restructuring plan that would have allowed us to emerge as a go-forward business. However, 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.”
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Many Spirit employees learned of the closure through news reports Friday, before the company confirmed the decision. The airline said it is working to bring home 1,300 crew members.
Customers have been directed to a website to check refund status and lost baggage claims. Refunds will be issued automatically to the credit card used to purchase the fare. Spirit also urged passengers not to go to the airport.
With the abrupt cancellations, several other airlines announced expanded service and discounts for displaced Spirit customers. United, JetBlue and Frontier were among the carriers offering reduced fares.
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