BY: DM
Published 48 minutes ago
Spirit Airlines just announced it will drop flights to a dozen U.S. cities starting Oct. 2. The airline, founded in 1983 as Charter One, began with charter flights and vacation packages. In the 2000s, it reinvented itself as an ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC), pioneering the U.S. “no-frills” model with rock-bottom base fares and add-on fees for seats, bags, and snacks. This approach helped Spirit grow into North America’s largest ULCC, competing with JetBlue and Frontier.
The airline’s history has been bumpy, however. It weathered the post-9/11 and pandemic downturns. In 2022, Spirit attempted a merger with JetBlue, but the DOJ blocked the deal on antitrust grounds, according to Reuters. Spirit then explored other partnerships, including one with Frontier, but none came through.
The airline has since filed for bankruptcy twice, once in late 2024 and again in 2025, as it struggled with debt and rising costs. Now, Spirit is cutting service to 12 cities in another effort to stay afloat.
Why is Spirit suspending travel to certain cities?
Spirit confirmed it will suspend service to 12 markets, according to CBS News. The cities include Albuquerque (NM), Birmingham (AL), Boise (ID), Chattanooga (TN), Oakland (CA), Columbia (SC), Portland (OR), Sacramento (CA), Salt Lake City (UT), San Diego (CA), and San Jose (CA). Spirit also canceled a planned new route to Macon, Ga. Starting in early October, Spirit will no longer operate flights in or out of these cities.
The route cuts come as Spirit struggles financially. The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August—its second filing in less than a year—after reporting massive losses. In its latest earnings report, Spirit revealed it lost nearly $257 million between March and June. The airline also warned that weak leisure travel demand and “adverse market conditions” have created “substantial doubt” about its ability to stay in business, according to the LA Times. To cope, Spirit plans to slash capacity by reducing its November schedule by 25% and furloughing crew and pilots to match lower demand.
Spirit’s CEO Dave Davis explained that, after restructuring earlier in the year, “much more work” remained to make the business sustainable. In an August press release, he said the airline will “focus its flying on key markets” and “reduce its presence in certain markets.” Spirit plans to optimize its fleet and match capacity to only the routes that can turn a profit.
Will Spirit resume flights in suspended cities?
Spirit has not announced plans to restore these canceled routes anytime soon. In public comments, the carrier emphasizes its focus on core hubs and stabilizing finances, not restarting smaller markets. Reuters reports that Spirit told investors it is “evaluating our options as we implement our transformation to best position Spirit for the future.” For now, travelers in those cities must rely on other airlines for service.
Meanwhile, Spirit’s leadership has issued statements to soften the blow. A spokesperson told CBS News, “We apologize to our Guests for any inconvenience this may cause and will reach out to those with affected reservations to notify them of their options, including a refund.”
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