Spirit Airlines ceases operations after 34 years, liquidation underway

Spirit Airlines ceased all operations on May 2, 2026 at 3:00 AM Eastern Time, ending a 34-year run as one of America’s most prominent ultra-low-cost carriers. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection twice within nine months—first in November 2024 and again in August 2025—before exhausting its options for restructuring and pursuing an orderly wind-down. The shutdown stranded passengers across U.S., Caribbean, and Latin American routes and eliminated approximately 17,000 jobs in the airline industry.