Spirit Airlines Flight Delay Compensation: Complete Guide to Claims & Refunds 2025

Maybe reclining seats aren’t a necessity for you when you fly. To each their own! 

But combine the lack of comfort and notoriously poor customer service with a controllable delay, and you may begin to see why Spirit Airlines has the reputation of being the bare-bones service airline.

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What Spirit Owes You for a Delay According to Their Contract of Carriage

Compared to all domestic airlines, Spirit Airlines doesn’t have the worst customer care plan for delays that are significant and controllable. However, they sure don’t have the best. 

• A significant delay is usually 3 hours or more for domestic flights and 6 hours or more for international flights — however, Spirit makes some promises for flights that are only delayed by 2 hours.
• A controllable delay includes things within the airline’s control, such as maintenance issues, baggage loading, or crew problems. 

Note that Spirit does not offer cash compensation for any flight delays. In fact, no domestic airlines have committed to this. 

However, here is what they do offer:

Rebooking

In the airline’s contract of carriage (the legal binding agreement made between the airline and its passengers), it’s stated that Spirit will, at a guest’s request, rebook them on a new flight for free if the controllable delay is 2 hours or longer. 

While most other airlines promise this service automatically, you may need to put in some leg work and advocate for yourself when you’re delayed with Spirit. 

As Spirit is an ultra-low-cost carrier, they haven’t committed to rebooking passengers on partner airlines (since they don’t have partnerships with other airlines), significantly limiting your options.

Vouchers

If you are delayed for 3 hours or longer and it’s the airline’s fault, Spirit says they will give you vouchers for meals at the airport. 

While the fine print is vague as to exactly how much the meal voucher is worth, it’s expected they will cover a reasonable meal at the airport.

Complimentary accommodations

When flights are delayed overnight (your new departure time is after midnight on the following day), Spirit says they will provide “non-local” customers with free overnight accommodations. 

Most often, this will look like the gate agent booking you a hotel room at one of their nearby partner hotels. 

Ground transportation costs will also be covered, and while there is often a free hotel shuttle to and from the airport, sometimes they may need to book you a third-party rideshare service. 

If you need to book your own accommodations and transportation, Spirit says they will reimburse you for reasonable costs. So, if you’re delayed overnight and Spirit can’t book you a hotel and Uber, save your receipts! 

Just don’t stay at the Four Seasons — the Best Western is a much more reasonable choice if you want reimbursement.

Unfortunately, Spirit doesn’t have a reimbursement form on its website like some other airlines, so ask the gate agent before you leave the airport or contact them via their online chat.

No travel credits

Many airlines will offer discount codes or travel credits to compensate customers for the inconvenience. Spirit, however, has made no such promises, nor have they promised any bonus frequent flier miles as compensation. 

You can always ask an airline representative for these but don’t count on getting them. 

Refunds

According to a rule from the Biden-Harris administration, if you reject rebooking options and accommodations and decide not to fly at all, you are entitled to a full refund, to be automatically applied to you. 

Be careful here, because the airline may try to convince you to accept a travel credit instead of a refund. 

They do this because it’s a better deal for the airline than shelling out cash as a refund. The odds of you remembering to spend that travel credit with them are fairly low.

Unless you’re certain you’re going to use it for something specific, decline the travel credit and just ask for your money back! 

It’s important to keep in mind that you can’t claim a refund if you accept the airline’s accommodations or rebooking offers!

Understanding Your Rights for Spirit Airlines Delay Compensation

As a passenger affected by a delay, it’s helpful to understand the relationship between the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and airline companies and your rights therein. (How’s that for legalese?!) 

Background: The U.S. Department of Transportation regulations

Technically, the DOT does not require airlines to compensate passengers affected by flight delays. 

However, the DOT does enforce the promises that airlines have made to their customers, which are specific and include amenities and services for customers experiencing controllable delays.

The DOT has created an Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard that details what each airline has committed to providing for their customers in the instance of flight delays and cancellations. 

I highly recommend you check it out and have it handy whenever you’re flying — it’s a fantastic resource!

What makes a delay

A “significant delay” for domestic flights typically means your flight has been delayed by 3 or more hours. For international flights, it’s 6 or more hours. 

But at Spirit, they promise rebookings for passengers experiencing just a 2-hour delay.

There are two different categories of delays: controllable and uncontrollable. 

• Controllable delays include things like maintenance issues, baggage loading, or crew problems. These issues are within the airline’s control — because of that, it’s on them to correct your itinerary.
• Uncontrollable delays include weather, air traffic, or “acts of God.” The airline has no control over thunderstorms, for example, or international tensions that delay your flight. These are called “force majeure” events.

The DOT requires airlines to follow through on their specific promises to customers in the case of a controllable delay. 

If airlines fail to adhere to their own commitments, you can file a complaint with the DOT, which will hold them accountable.

Delays beyond Spirit Airlines’s control

While you are entitled to several services from Spirit in the case of controllable delays, uncontrollable delays are a different story. 

While other airlines have fairly detailed information within their contract of carriage about the airline’s liabilities in the case of “force majeure” events (such as bad weather or security issues), Spirit doesn’t include much insight into their policies following an uncontrollable delay. 

They say they will rebook passengers at no cost or provide refunds for unused tickets, but complimentary accommodations and meal vouchers are not offered in the case of an uncontrollable delay. 

Spirit says they will instead make “reasonable efforts” to help affected passengers find accommodation on their own.

Essentially, the airline has made no commitment to providing complimentary accommodations, travel vouchers, or other amenities when delays are outside of Spirit’s control. 

So, what can you do? Truthfully, not much. 

You could proactively change your flight ahead of time if weather reports aren’t looking good, especially if the airline has already published weather warnings for airports you’ll be flying on or out of. 

But outside of that, airlines are not legally obligated to provide services to you if a delay is out of their control. 

Cancellation compensation

What if your flight is completely canceled (for any reason) and the airline can't rebook you?

In that case, according to the Biden-Harris administration’s rule, you’re entitled to a full refund “of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used.”

Tips: What to Do When Your Spirit Flight Is Delayed

Don’t panic! Delays happen, so if you stay cool and remember your rights as a passenger, you’re already ahead.

Communication is key

When you book your flight, include your correct phone number and email address so the airline can reach you when there are delays or changes to your itinerary. 

Spirit Airlines says they will communicate with you as best they can, so keep your phone handy for those text alerts or other notifications!

Agents from the airline should be available to address your specific needs. Talk to them politely and firmly to make sure you get what you’re entitled to as a passenger. 

This is an instance where having that DOT dashboard or the Spirit Contract of Carriage handy will work in your favor. 

If you run into problems with an airline agent, show them the dashboard on your phone. Legally, they cannot deny you any of the services listed on the dashboard for Spirit Airlines!

Sometimes, if there’s a long line at the gate to speak with an agent, it may be faster to connect with an airline representative through the chat function on the Spirit Airlines website, texting them at 48763, or calling their WhatsApp helpline: 855-728-3555. 

Alternative Compensation Options

If Spirit doesn’t offer you satisfactory compensation right off the bat, the two main alternative options, in order, are travel insurance and credit card insurance. 

Since the airline doesn’t offer very much in the way of customer support during controllable delays, it may be prudent to have one or both of these.

Travel insurance coverage

If you purchased travel insurance, you might be eligible for additional compensation beyond what Spirit offers. 

Generally, travel insurance covers unanticipated expenses when you travel domestically or abroad, including travel interruptions like delayed flights.

Check your policy — many cover expenses like meals and hotels even during weather delays.

If you don’t have a travel insurance policy, you can shop for one that suits your needs through an online broker like VisitorsCoverage.

Credit card travel protection

Many credit cards offer trip delay protection if you booked your flight with them. This includes paying the taxes and fees on flights booked with miles. 

These benefits often kick in after shorter delays than airline compensation and can cover more expenses. 

For example, if you booked your flight with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you might receive compensation of up to $500 per ticket if you’re delayed 6 hours or more. 

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TL;DR: How To Get Spirit Flight Delay Compensation

When you fly on an ultra-low-cost carrier like Spirit Airlines, it’s important to know your rights during a significant delay because of something within the airline’s control. 

Make sure to ask the gate agent for a new flight and if it looks like you’ll be stuck overnight, advocate for your hotel, transportation, and maybe some extra meal vouchers. 

Remember — the airline is legally required to give you the services they’ve committed to providing. Know your rights and get what you’re entitled to!

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Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.