Spirit Airlines permanently ceased operations on May 2, 2026, canceling all flights and shutting down customer service. If you have an upcoming Spirit booking, here's what you need to know.
What Spirit Owes You for the Cancellation
Unfortunately, when an airline declares bankruptcy, the normal consumer protections offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) no longer apply.
Thankfully, so far, it seems like Spirit is able to offer refunds to some passengers, and other airlines have stepped in to help out.
Refunds
Spirit says it will refund passengers who booked directly through Spirit with a credit card or debit card. Your refund should be automatically applied to the original payment method used. You can check the status of your refund at spiritrestructuring.com.
Unfortunately, if you booked with a voucher, credit, or points, a bankruptcy court still needs to determine how you will be compensated.
If you booked with a travel agent or a third-party booking site like Expedia, you should contact the agent or the website's customer service.
Rebooking on other airlines
Some other airlines have stepped up to help passengers rebook on other flights — but unfortunately, you'll need to pay and do the work yourself, since Spirit no longer has any customer service.
Just keep in mind that all of these offers are limited and may have changed by the time you read this. Contact the airline directly or visit their websites for current availability.
- Avelo: Avelo is advertising deep discounts for affected Spirit passengers, including up to 75% off base fares.
- Allegiant: Allegiant has frozen prices on routes that overlap with Spirit routes.
- Delta: Delta is offering reduced, nonrefundable rescue fares in affected markets across its domestic network. You can book in the Delta app or by visiting delta.com and buy your ticket just as you normally would — no promo code required.
- Frontier Airlines: Frontier is offering up to 50% off base fares across its network until May 10, 2026. Book at FlyFrontier.com or on the Frontier mobile app using promo code SAVENOW.
- JetBlue: JetBlue is offering $99 one-way rescue fares for stranded travelers and is capping prices on key routes. Call 1-800-JETBLUE to book.
- Southwest Airlines: Southwest is offering special fares ranging from $200 to $400 for routes that overlap with Spirit. You can book at Southwest ticket counters at your departure airport until 11:59 p.m. CDT on May 6, 2026. Southwest is also offering a status-match, honoring Spirit's Silver and Gold members with Southwest A-List benefits.
- United: United is offering capped rescue fares to stranded Spirit passengers until May 16, 2026, with most tickets priced at $199 and some longer routes at $299. Travelers must book through united.com/specialfares with their Spirit confirmation number and proof of purchase for travel between May 2 and May 16.
Other Compensation Options
If there's a hold-up with your refund or you're not eligible for one because of how you booked, you may have alternate options.
Contact Spirit's claims agent, Epiq
Spirit's claims agent, Epiq, is now handling customer inquiries in place of Spirit's customer service team. While it's unclear exactly what they can help with, it's worth contacting them if your refund hasn't come through or your baggage is stuck in Spirit limbo.
You can reach them at:
- Phone (U.S. and Canada): 855-952-6606
- Phone (International): 971-715-2831
- Email: [email protected]
Request a credit card chargeback
If Spirit doesn't refund you for the price of your ticket or if you booked through a third-party site, the DOT recommends contacting your credit card company. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you can request a “chargeback” for services not rendered.
Check your travel insurance
If you purchased travel insurance, check your policy to see if it covers “insolvency” or “service cessation.”
Unfortunately, not all travel insurance policies cover airline insolvency. It depends on your insurance provider and which policy you bought. The same thing goes for your credit card's travel insurance. The Chase Sapphire cards, for example, specifically exclude “Default of the Common Carrier resulting from Financial Insolvency” in their trip cancellation coverage.
READ MORE: Which Situations Are Covered by Trip Cancellation Insurance?
FAQs
Will Spirit rebook me on other airlines?
Spirit's customer service team is gone, which means you'll need to rebook yourself on an alternate airline. Several airlines, such as Delta, United, JetBlue, Frontier, and Southwest, are offering reduced “rescue rates” for Spirit customers, but they're a limited-time offer so you'll need to book quickly.
What happens to my Free Spirit loyalty points?
Sadly, your Free Spirit miles are likely worthless at this point. Loyalty program balances are treated as unsecured liabilities in bankruptcy, which puts members near the back of the line for any compensation.
My Spirit flight was part of a vacation package booked through a third-party site. How do I get a refund?
Your first call should be to the third-party booking platform (Expedia, Priceline, etc.), since Spirit no longer has any customer service. If the OTA isn't able to help, and you paid with a credit card, you may also have grounds for a chargeback on any non-refunded prepaid costs.
TL;DR: Spirit Bankruptcy Flight Cancellation Compensation
Spirit is fully shut down — they don't even have a customer service team available, which means you'll need to be your own advocate.
Keep all your documentation to prove you were booked on a Spirit flight, including receipts, booking confirmations, cancellation notices, and any correspondence with the airline. Also, keep receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses, like hotels or rebooking fares, in case your travel insurance can cover you.
If you're stuck dealing with a canceled Spirit flight, I feel for you! It's a lousy situation to be in, but Spirit has promised to reimburse the passsengers that they can and other airlines are helping out with reduced rescue fares.
My fingers are crossed for you to get to your destination soon!
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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.
