By Jacob Passy
The demise of Spirit Airlines is set to create some serious headaches for travelers who booked trips with the carrier.
Spirit has become the largest U.S. carrier to go belly up in years. For fliers caught in the middle, there's no single rulebook to follow, aviation watchdogs said.
"Each bankruptcy shutdown can differ from the last," said William McGee, a senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project.
Appealing to your credit-card company for tickets you won't be able to use on a defunct airline will be your best line of defense.
Here's what else travelers need to know.
Will my upcoming Spirit flight be canceled?
Spirit said Saturday that all flights have been canceled and customer service is no longer available. In past airline failures, flights ceased with little or no warning, stranding thousands of passengers.
"The best-case scenario is that other airlines step up to fill the void in an effort to carry some of these passengers," said Kyle Potter, executive editor at deals website Thrifty Traveler.
Flights provided by other airlines to folks who are stuck far from home won't necessarily come free of charge, though.
When Icelandic budget carrier Play went out of business last fall, European competitor Condor offered discounted rescue fares to stranded travelers. They had to contact the airline's reservations team and provide proof that they were supposed to fly on the defunct airline. Another carrier, Icelandair, added capacity to routes that Play flew, but didn't offer discounts.
American Airlines has implemented fare caps for economy tickets on nonstop routes that overlap with Spirit, while Frontier and United Airlines are preparing to support Spirit customers and employees in the event of a shutdown, according to the companies.
I booked flights for my summer vacation with Spirit. How can I get my money back?
Spirit said it would automatically process refunds for flights purchased through its channels with a credit or debit card. Anyone with flights booked via a travel agent should contact the agent directly to request a refund, the company said.
For those who paid with other methods, like vouchers, credits or Free Spirit points, it isn't as straightforward. Spirit said compensation for people who booked flights through those methods will be determined later through the company's bankruptcy process.
Filing a claim through bankruptcy-court proceedings is a lengthy process, with no guarantee of success. "Travelers usually are at the end of the line to see any money," said Katy Nastro, a spokesperson with Going, a travel-deals company.
If you bought travel insurance, it may kick in, but it depends on your policy's fine print. Insurers may reserve the right to decline the claim if a trip was booked after Spirit filed for bankruptcy last year.
As for rebooking flights, expect higher prices. Rescue fares, if offered, would only be around for a limited time. Airline analysts warn that fares will increase across the board without the influence of Spirit's rock-bottom prices.
I'm a member of the Free Spirit loyalty program. What happens to my points?
Airline miles and points are only as valuable as the airline providing them. While travelers assign value to them, they aren't technically worth anything. That probably means Free Spirit members are about to be disappointed.
"Over the years, millions of dollars in unused miles and points have been rendered useless due to airline shutdowns," said McGee.
I have a Spirit credit card. Will my account be closed?
While the credit card may bear Spirit's name, it was issued by Bank of America. That means your card should remain active even after Spirit ceases operations.
Bank of America could choose to convert their Spirit portfolio into other branded credit cards. Bank of America didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Either way, cardholders are still on the hook for any money they owe.
This explanatory article may be periodically updated.
Write to Jacob Passy at jacob.passy@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 02, 2026 02:45 ET (06:45 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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