Headlines from ABC News Live
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ByKelly McCarthy and Jon Haworth
May 2, 2026, 3:03 AM
Spirit Airlines says that it has "started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately" while the outcome of talks between the airline and the federal government over a $500 million rescue deal for the remains unclear.
Spirit Airlines final flight was flight 1833 which travelled from Detroit to Dallas and landed early Saturday morning just after midnight as the airline says it flew more than 50,000 passengers over the past day and is working to get more than 1,300 crew safely home to their bases.
A spokesperson for Spirit also said that the majority of the airline's employees found out about the airline's closure primarily through media reports that they were about to lose their jobs.
The airline was scheduled to operate 277 flights Saturday, according to data from Airline Data Inc, which have now all been cancelled.
"To our Guests: all flights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available," Spirit said in a statement on its website. "We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our Guests for many years to come."
The Wall Street Journal first reported that Spirit was preparing to shut down operations early Saturday.
Earlier Friday, President Donald Trump said an announcement about the airline rescue deal was possible.
Workers at Spirit Airlines wait for passengers to arrive for their flights at O'Hare Airport on March 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
When asked if the administration had decided against bailing out Spirit Airlines, Trump told reporters on Friday, "I guess we're looking at it. If we could do it, we do it, but only if it's a good deal."
"No institution's been able to do it," he continued. "I said 'I'd like to save the jobs,' but we'll have an announcement sometime today. We gave them, we gave them a final proposal."
ABC News has reached out to the White House for additional comment.
A spokesperson for Spirit Airlines declined to comment on ongoing discussions.
"Spirit is operating as usual," the spokesperson said in a statement earlier Friday before the released of its latest statement announcing the winding down of operations.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
When asked if the administration had decided against bailing out Spirit Airlines, Trump told reporters on Friday, "I guess we're looking at it. If we could do it, we do it, but only if it's a good deal."
"No institution's been able to do it," he continued. "I said 'I'd like to save the jobs,' but we'll have an announcement sometime today. We gave them, we gave them a final proposal."
ABC News has reached out to the White House for additional comment.
A spokesperson for Spirit Airlines declined to comment on ongoing discussions.
"Spirit is operating as usual," the spokesperson said in a statement earlier Friday before the released of its latest statement announcing the winding down of operations.
A Spirit Airlines plane lands at Harry Reid International Airport on October 14, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Other airlines have responded to the news, saying they will be ready to help stranded passengers in the event that Spirit shuts down.
The Department of Transportation announced that majority of the airlines will be capping tickets prices for Spirit travelers who need to rebook their cancelled flights, and some carriers have even reduced fares on high volume routes where Spirit used to operate.
American Airlines told ABC News it will offer fare caps on main cabin tickets for routes they share with Spirit.
Similarly, United Airlines said they’re "preparing to support Spirit customers in the event of a shut down."
"We are ready to support customers who may be impacted if Spirit Airlines ceases operations, with a focus on helping people continue their travel plans with low-fare options," Frontier Airlines posted Friday on X.
ABC News previously reported that Spirit could run out of the cash it needs to keep operating within days, not weeks, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Spirit filed for bankruptcy for the second time last August -- having previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024 -- to restructure financially and "reduce its cost structure," with hopes of emerging from Chapter 11 by the spring or summer of 2026.
The soaring price of jet fuel amid the ongoing war in Iran has had widespread impact on airlines and travel expert Katy Nastro, of airfare monitoring site Going, previously told ABC News that Spirit could be out of time to try and turn things around.
"It's never a good sign to file bankruptcy to begin with, but a second within six months, even worse," Nastro said. "Spirit suggested that they were going to be able to come out of bankruptcy this time by the spring. We're in the spring now, we have higher jet fuel prices -- this is a recipe for disaster for them."
What travelers need to know about Spirit Airlines shutting down
Bradley Akubuiro, a crisis expert and former Boeing spokesperson, told ABC News that losing a budget airline like Spirit will raise the floor on airfares.
"Frontier, Allegiant, and Breeze are still flying, but Spirit was the biggest, and in the markets it dominated -- Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, a lot of the Caribbean -- there isn't another carrier ready to backfill at the same price tomorrow," he explained. "The pain isn't immediate. It's structural. A fare that used to be $89 is $140 six months from now, and most consumers won't connect the two."
When airlines liquidate, they immediately cease operations without notice, which means that passengers will be stranded and employees will not show up to work.
Spirit Airlines is telling travelers to not go to the airport as all flights have been cancelled and that they will automatically issue refunds for any flights purchased through Spirit with a credit or debit card to the original form of payment. The airline said that guests who booked flights via a travel agent should contact the travel agent directly to request a refund.
Compensation for people who booked flights using any other methods, including a voucher, credit or Free Spirit points, will be determined at a later date through the bankruptcy process, the airline said.
"Unfortunately, despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook," the airline said in its statement. "With no additional funding available to the Company, Spirit had no choice but to begin this wind-down."
United Airlines announced Saturday morning that for the next two weeks, customers who were booked to travel on Spirit can get one way ticket on United flights from most cities where Spirit previously operated, including Atlanta, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Newark, New Orleans and Orlando.
The airline says it has capped most of its fares at $199, though exceptions apply, with longer flights not priced higher than $299. Travelers will need to enter their Spirit confirmation number and verify they were scheduled to travel between May 2 through May 16 in order to be qualify for these special fares.
American Airlines has also launched a website which displays rescue fares to and from a range of domestic and international destinations, so those scheduled to travel with Spirit on those routes can rebook their travel with American.
The airline says it's also working to add additional capacity, like flying bigger planes and adding more flights on routes where Spirit used to fly, to accommodate as many passengers as possible. American says it operates at majority of the operates and routes Spirit used to serve at.
There is generally no airline assistance when it comes to helping stranded passengers after an airline shuts down operations.
For any ticketed passengers scheduled to fly Spirit or already in the middle of their trip, below are some tips from travel experts on how to navigate the situation.
Don't immediately cancel your flight, Nastro advised, adding that travelers who cancel forfeit their right to a refund. And make sure to keep all records and receipts.
If you booked with a credit card, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company and likely get the money back.
There is less protection if you booked with a debit card, but you can still contact your company to see if you can get reimbursed.
If you have travel insurance, she reminded customers to read the fine print as not all of them cover this type of scenario.
Per the Department of Transportation, customers could consider filing a proof of claim in the bankruptcy proceeding to try and get a partial refund, but the claim will be considered along with all the other creditors that the airline owes money to and you may only get a small portion of your money back.
If you're stranded, check options with other airlines that might be able to offer relief flights, fare caps or emergency fares, like they would do after a big weather event.
-ABC News' Clara McMichael contributed to this report.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Other airlines have responded to the news, saying they will be ready to help stranded passengers in the event that Spirit shuts down.
The Department of Transportation announced that majority of the airlines will be capping tickets prices for Spirit travelers who need to rebook their cancelled flights, and some carriers have even reduced fares on high volume routes where Spirit used to operate.
American Airlines told ABC News it will offer fare caps on main cabin tickets for routes they share with Spirit.
Similarly, United Airlines said they’re "preparing to support Spirit customers in the event of a shut down."
"We are ready to support customers who may be impacted if Spirit Airlines ceases operations, with a focus on helping people continue their travel plans with low-fare options," Frontier Airlines posted Friday on X.
ABC News previously reported that Spirit could run out of the cash it needs to keep operating within days, not weeks, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Spirit filed for bankruptcy for the second time last August -- having previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024 -- to restructure financially and "reduce its cost structure," with hopes of emerging from Chapter 11 by the spring or summer of 2026.
The soaring price of jet fuel amid the ongoing war in Iran has had widespread impact on airlines and travel expert Katy Nastro, of airfare monitoring site Going, previously told ABC News that Spirit could be out of time to try and turn things around.
"It's never a good sign to file bankruptcy to begin with, but a second within six months, even worse," Nastro said. "Spirit suggested that they were going to be able to come out of bankruptcy this time by the spring. We're in the spring now, we have higher jet fuel prices -- this is a recipe for disaster for them."
What travelers need to know about Spirit Airlines shutting down
Bradley Akubuiro, a crisis expert and former Boeing spokesperson, told ABC News that losing a budget airline like Spirit will raise the floor on airfares.
"Frontier, Allegiant, and Breeze are still flying, but Spirit was the biggest, and in the markets it dominated -- Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, a lot of the Caribbean -- there isn't another carrier ready to backfill at the same price tomorrow," he explained. "The pain isn't immediate. It's structural. A fare that used to be $89 is $140 six months from now, and most consumers won't connect the two."
When airlines liquidate, they immediately cease operations without notice, which means that passengers will be stranded and employees will not show up to work.
Spirit Airlines is telling travelers to not go to the airport as all flights have been cancelled and that they will automatically issue refunds for any flights purchased through Spirit with a credit or debit card to the original form of payment. The airline said that guests who booked flights via a travel agent should contact the travel agent directly to request a refund.
Compensation for people who booked flights using any other methods, including a voucher, credit or Free Spirit points, will be determined at a later date through the bankruptcy process, the airline said.
"Unfortunately, despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook," the airline said in its statement. "With no additional funding available to the Company, Spirit had no choice but to begin this wind-down."
United Airlines announced Saturday morning that for the next two weeks, customers who were booked to travel on Spirit can get one way ticket on United flights from most cities where Spirit previously operated, including Atlanta, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Newark, New Orleans and Orlando.
The airline says it has capped most of its fares at $199, though exceptions apply, with longer flights not priced higher than $299. Travelers will need to enter their Spirit confirmation number and verify they were scheduled to travel between May 2 through May 16 in order to be qualify for these special fares.
American Airlines has also launched a website which displays rescue fares to and from a range of domestic and international destinations, so those scheduled to travel with Spirit on those routes can rebook their travel with American.
The airline says it's also working to add additional capacity, like flying bigger planes and adding more flights on routes where Spirit used to fly, to accommodate as many passengers as possible. American says it operates at majority of the operates and routes Spirit used to serve at.
There is generally no airline assistance when it comes to helping stranded passengers after an airline shuts down operations.
For any ticketed passengers scheduled to fly Spirit or already in the middle of their trip, below are some tips from travel experts on how to navigate the situation.
Don't immediately cancel your flight, Nastro advised, adding that travelers who cancel forfeit their right to a refund. And make sure to keep all records and receipts.
If you booked with a credit card, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company and likely get the money back.
There is less protection if you booked with a debit card, but you can still contact your company to see if you can get reimbursed.
If you have travel insurance, she reminded customers to read the fine print as not all of them cover this type of scenario.
Per the Department of Transportation, customers could consider filing a proof of claim in the bankruptcy proceeding to try and get a partial refund, but the claim will be considered along with all the other creditors that the airline owes money to and you may only get a small portion of your money back.
If you're stranded, check options with other airlines that might be able to offer relief flights, fare caps or emergency fares, like they would do after a big weather event.
-ABC News' Clara McMichael contributed to this report.
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