Spirit Airlines has ceased all operations after 34 years, canceling every flight nationwide and leaving DFW International Airport to absorb the loss of thousands of scheduled departures this year.
The Florida-based ultra-low-cost carrier announced an orderly wind-down Saturday, May 2, 2026, effective immediately. All flights were canceled, customer service ended and passengers were told not to come to the airport. The final Spirit revenue flight landed at DFW shortly after midnight from Detroit.
Spirit had operated from Terminal E at DFW since 2011 and maintained a local crew base for pilots and flight attendants. The airline accounted for roughly 3.1 percent of enplaned passengers — about 1.35 million travelers — in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2025, making it the airport’s fourth-largest carrier. It generated approximately $15.7 million in revenue for DFW and was scheduled to operate more than 4,000 flights there through November.
The shutdown follows years of heavy losses, two Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings and a failed $500 million government bailout effort. North Texas travelers lose a major source of low fares on routes to cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Cancun. Other carriers including American, Southwest, Frontier and United have announced limited rescue fares and capacity increases to help displaced passengers, though prices on some routes are expected to rise as demand shifts.
Passengers with Spirit tickets receive automatic refunds for credit- or debit-card purchases but must rebook independently on other airlines. The U.S. Department of Transportation has advised contacting credit card issuers or travel insurers for additional options.
The closure affects part of Spirit’s roughly 17,000 employees nationwide, including those based at DFW, and marks the first major U.S. airline shutdown in more than two decades.
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The Florida-based ultra-low-cost carrier announced an orderly wind-down Saturday, May 2, 2026, effective immediately.
The Florida-based ultra-low-cost carrier announced an orderly wind-down Saturday, May 2, 2026, effective immediately.
