Spirit Airlines shuts down after failing to reach a bailout deal, ending discount travel era

Spirit Airlines airplanes sit parked at Fort Lauderdale - Hollywood International Airport, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 23, 2026.Marco Bello | ReutersSpirit Airlines has shut down.Before dawn Saturday, the carrier ceased operations after failing to secure an agreement with bondholders on an 11th-hour bailout from the Trump administration.That sealed the fate of the iconic U.S. budget airline known for its bright yellow planes, cheap fares and no-frills service and fees for everything else that had become a punchline though it had pioneered discount air travel in the U.S. and made flights more affordable for millions."We regret to inform you that all Spirit Airlines flights have been canceled, effective immediately," read a message when opening Spirit's app.Grasping for a chance at survival in its second bankruptcy filing since November 2024, Spirit's shuttering marks the end of the South Florida airline's yearslong struggle with a host of problems: a failed merger, shifting consumer tastes, surging competition and soaring costs — most recently for jet fuel.Spirit said 17,000 direct and indirect employees have lost their jobs.Time had been running out. The airline's lawyer, Marshall Huebner, told a bankruptcy court in New York on April 23 that Spirit's cash "is not going to last