Spirit Airlines is a major ultra-low-cost airline headquartered in Florida. It is the 8th largest U.S. airline and the world’s largest ultra-low-cost carrier.
Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost air carrier based out of Dania Beach (formerly Miramar), Florida.It provides some of the lowest ticket fares currently in the United States air travel market. As of December 2025, Spirit is currently operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than a year, with significant uncertainty about its future operations.
In this article, we’re going to provide you with some facts about Spirit Airlines and what to expect when flying with them.
Wondering how Spirit compares to other ultra-low-cost carriers? See our complete ULCC comparison guide.
Spirit Airlines did not start as an airline. In 1964, the company that was to become Spirit was founded as a trucking company. It wasn’t until 1983 that the trucking pivoted to become an airline, called Charter One Airlines whose niche was a resort destination charter airline out of Detroit which offered flights to popular destinations like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and the Bahamas.
In 2007, after identifying a gap in the American air travel market, Spirit decided to pivot once more to become an ultra-low-cost airline. Also known as discount airlines, ultra-low-cost carriers minimize costs which reduces the number of in-flight amenities and features that you may find on normal airlines. When you keep the costs lower, you can sell fares at some of the cheapest prices on the market.
In the early 2010s Spirit Airlines became the first American airline to begin charging for carry-on baggage. This practice was already in commonplaces overseas in Europe but Spirit was subjected to scrutiny with this business decision. However, after Spirit Airlines broke the ice on this practice, other United States airlines began to follow the same mold of charging for carry-on baggage.
More recently, Spirit Airlines has been in the news for multiple significant developments. In July 2022, JetBlue Airways announced plans to acquire Spirit for $3.8 billion. However, the Department of Justice sued to block the merger, and in January 2024, a federal judge ruled that the acquisition would harm competition and increase fares for travelers. JetBlue and Spirit mutually agreed to terminate the merger in March 2024, with JetBlue paying Spirit $69 million as part of the termination agreement.
Following the failed merger, Spirit’s financial situation deteriorated rapidly. The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024, emerging in March 2025 under new CEO Dave Davis. However, just five months later in August 2025, Spirit filed for bankruptcy protection again, marking an unprecedented “Chapter 22” bankruptcy – a rare occurrence of two bankruptcies within a year. The airline continues to operate under bankruptcy protection as of December 2025, though its long-term viability remains uncertain.
Year Founded: 1983
Years of Operation: 42 years
Airline Type: Ultra Low Cost Carrier
Call Sign: SPIRIT WINGS
Website: http://www.spirit.com/
Spirit Airlines has undergone significant fleet changes. As of late 2025, the airline operates approximately 100-120 aircraft following aggressive restructuring, down from over 210 aircraft earlier in the year. Spirit has rejected leases on 87 aircraft and returned 27 aircraft to lessor AerCap as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. The airline continues to operate exclusively with Airbus aircraft, focusing on maintaining one aircraft manufacturer to reduce maintenance costs.
Spirit’s current fleet primarily consists of the Airbus A320neo, Airbus A320-200, and Airbus A321neo. The airline has retired all remaining A319-100 aircraft as of mid-2025. The dramatic fleet reduction – cutting nearly half its planes – represents the airline’s effort to transition to a smaller, more focused operation amid ongoing financial challenges including Pratt & Whitney engine issues that have grounded dozens of A320neo-series aircraft.
The Airbus A320neo is a narrow-body commercial aircraft that can carry up to 240 passengers. It is known for its fuel efficiency, advanced avionics, and modern design, making it a popular choice for both short and medium-haul flights.
However, Spirit has faced significant operational challenges due to Pratt & Whitney engine defects affecting this aircraft type, with numerous planes grounded for extended periods.
The A320-200 is a popular narrow-body jetliner designed for short to medium-haul flights. It can seat up to 180 passengers and has a range of over 3,000 miles.
The A321neo is Spirit’s largest aircraft type, offering increased capacity with 228-235 seats in Spirit’s configuration. This stretched version of the A320 family provides greater fuel efficiency and represents a key part of Spirit’s remaining fleet strategy.
Since Spirit Airlines is an ultra-low-cost airline, you cannot expect too many frills when it comes to seating options on their aircraft. On all operational aircraft types in the fleet, you will most commonly find economy-class seating. There is no first-class or premium class, however, Spirit does provide one option for you to upgrade your seating called “big front” seating.
As part of its restructuring efforts in 2025, Spirit has been attempting to shift toward offering more premium options, including new tiered pricing with “Spirit First” and “Premium Economy” categories in addition to its traditional “Value” option, though the airline’s financial challenges have made this transition difficult.
On the Airbus A319s, A320s, and A321s, the majority of the seating is economy. Typically, the seating arrangement is two columns of 3 seat rows on each side of the aircraft. There is only one aisle going down the middle of the plane.
The seats are very standard. Don’t expect to be very comfortable. The seats on Spirit are made of deluxe leather. The recline of these seats is very limited and the legroom leaves much to be desired.
For a few extra bucks, you can update your seats from economy to Spirit’s version of first class. Near the front of the plane, there are a handful of seats that are configured in two seats by two-seat columns that are designed to provide a little extra legroom.
Spirit Airlines currently flies to approximately 60-70 destinations throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America – down from 83 destinations due to significant route cuts and network restructuring. The airline has completely withdrawn from 15 cities including Seattle, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Hartford, Albuquerque, Birmingham, Boise, Portland, and Salt Lake City as part of its bankruptcy reorganization.
The airline flies out of several crew operating bases however its main hub is in Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Spirit Airlines operates out of the following airports:
Note: Spirit’s network has been substantially reduced, with approximately 40 routes suspended as part of a 25% capacity reduction implemented in late 2025.
The following flights represent Spirit’s traditionally popular routes, though many have seen significant reductions in frequency:
Spirit has experienced a dramatic 46% decline in arrivals and departures at Las Vegas (one of its key markets) in September 2025 compared to the previous year, reflecting the airline’s severe operational and financial challenges.
Spirit Airlines historically had strong on-time performance in the American domestic air travel market. In 2022, the airline ranked 6th in on-time performance with 73% of all flights making it to their destinations on schedule, down from their 2019 ranking which was 4th amongst all American air carriers.
However, recent on-time performance data for 2024-2025 has not been as favorable due to the airline’s operational challenges, fleet reductions, and ongoing restructuring efforts.
One of the reasons for Spirit’s traditionally good service record was that their main hubs are located in Florida, which experiences some of the country’s more favorable weather (besides the occasional hurricane). That means that planes don’t get stuck or delayed especially when they have a connecting flight elsewhere contrary to airlines that operate out of more adverse weather regions of the country.
Yes, Spirit is a safe airline to fly on. Air travel today can be considered one of the safest modes of transportation available. Airplanes are routinely inspected before each flight and pilots train for every scenario that can happen during a flight.
Spirit Airlines has experienced three notable, but nonlethal accidents since it was founded in 1980. They have experienced no passenger fatalities to date or have had any planes written off from passenger service.
To become a pilot for Spirit Airlines, you need to have 3000-4000 hours of total flying time and be type rated on the Airbus A320. If you are type rated on the Airbus A320, you can also fly on the Airbus A319 and the Airbus A321 since they are very similar aircraft.
With that said, the pilots are extremely knowledgeable about the Airbus aircraft systems and are more than capable of handling any potential flight danger thrown their way.
Spirit Airlines is currently operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. However, the airline has stated that passengers can continue to book flights and travel as normal during the restructuring process. Tickets, travel credits, and loyalty points remain valid and operational.
Key considerations for travelers:
[NEW] As of mid-December 2025, Spirit faces a critical funding deadline, with some industry reports suggesting potential operational challenges. However, the airline has secured union agreements for $100 million in annual cost savings and continues to work toward emerging from bankruptcy. Travelers should monitor the situation closely and consider trip protection insurance for future bookings.
We had the privilege of traveling on Spirit Airlines on a flight from New York LaGuardia Airport to Detriot – Wayne Metropolitan Airport on an Airbus A321.
Check out our flight review to get a good sense of what to expect with flying on Spirit Airlines.
Related: Complete US ultra-low-cost carrier guide
https://seatguru.com/airlines/Spirit_Airlines/information.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_Airlines
https://www.flightconnections.com/route-map-spirit-airlines-nk
