Spirit Airlines Shuts Down After 34 Years, Ceasing All Operations
Spirit Airlines, the eighth-largest U.S. airline by seat count, has announced it is ceasing all operations effective immediately on Saturday, May 2, 2026. The budget carrier's closure comes after failing to secure a $500 million federal government bailout and marks the first significant U.S. airline shutdown since Midway Airlines folded following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Spirit Airlines Ends Operations
Spirit Airlines announced Saturday that it has gone out of business after 34 years. The decision will put 17,000 workers out of a job, including 14,000 Spirit employees and thousands of contractors and other people whose jobs depend on Spirit.
Timeline of Shutdown
Spirit will cease operations at 3:00 AM Eastern Time on May 2, 2026. About an hour before the official announcement, Spirit's employees were getting word of the loss of their jobs when the Association of Flight Attendants sent a message out to the union's 5,000 members at the airline about 1 a.m. ET.
Failed Rescue Efforts
In recent weeks, Spirit had been in talks with the Trump administration on a deal that would have provided a $500 million cash infusion in exchange for a significant potential stake in the company. However, a key group of creditors rejected that plan.
Industry Impact
Removing the 2% of domestic US flights Spirit was scheduled to fly this summer will push fares higher across the entire industry. Spirit's closure is the first shutdown of a significant US airline since Midway Airlines went out of business immediately following the September 11, 2001, attacks.