Spirit Airlines has halted flights between South Florida and four cities as part of a broader pullback tied to its court-supervised Chapter 11 restructuring. The airline confirmed late August and early September steps that shrink its network, cancel planned growth, and alert customers to refunds.
The move follows Spirit’s second bankruptcy filing in less than a year and reflects fresh decisions to cut costs, sell assets, and concentrate on stronger markets while it continues flying. The company says it is keeping ticket sales and loyalty programs active, and there is no immediate plan to shut down overall operations, but the near-term map is getting smaller and the future remains uncertain.
Chapter 11 filing and scope of cuts
On August 29, 2025, Spirit said it would pursue a comprehensive restructuring under Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, beginning a process the carrier argues will help stabilize finances and protect jobs.
As part of that plan, Spirit is discontinuing service in 12 cities nationwide, including several routes that connect to South Florida. The service cuts begin the week of October 2, 2025, and include a pre-launch cancellation of the new Macon (MCN)–Fort Lauderdale (FLL) flights that had been scheduled to start on October 16, 2025.
Affected cities:
– Albuquerque (ABQ)
– Birmingham (BHM)
– Boise (BOI)
– Chattanooga (CHA)
– Columbia (CAE)
– Oakland (OAK)
– Portland (PDX)
– Sacramento (SMF)
– Salt Lake City (SLC)
– San Diego (SAN)
– San Jose (SJC)
– Macon (MCN)
For South Florida, this means the immediate loss of current links to several West Coast and Mountain West markets and the end, before takeoff, of the Macon–Fort Lauderdale plan that local officials had welcomed. Industry analysts expect competitors—especially other budget carriers and large network airlines—to step in where they see demand, but timing and prices will vary by city as capacity shifts.
Customer impact and refunds
Spirit says it is contacting all customers with bookings on the discontinued routes and offering full refunds. The airline also says all other operations—ticketing, reservations, and the Free Spirit loyalty program—are continuing during the restructuring.
This matters to families, workers, and students who rely on low fares for domestic trips tied to jobs, school breaks, and important milestones. It also matters to mixed-status households and new arrivals who plan domestic travel to reach immigration court hearings, attorney meetings, or passport offices; a canceled nonstop can add cost, time, and stress.
For official company updates, see Spirit’s newsroom: Spirit Investor Relations – News
Network cuts tied to the Chapter 11 process
Spirit’s leadership calls the reductions necessary to cut cash burn and focus on routes that cover their costs. The company plans to:
- Shrink its fleet
- Explore asset sales (aircraft, real estate, airport gate positions)
- Raise cash during restructuring while negotiating with lessors and creditors
In a statement, Dave Davis, President and CEO of Spirit Airlines, said the board concluded “a court-supervised process is the best path forward to make the necessary changes for Spirit’s future,” emphasizing the goal of long-term stability for employees, partners, and customers.
The airline is not grounding its entire operation. Rather, it is pruning routes that saw weaker demand or higher costs, which it says will free up resources for stronger markets. The key traveler date is the week of October 2, 2025, when the discontinuations take effect. The canceled Macon–Fort Lauderdale launch, set for October 16, shows how quickly plans can change under court protection as the airline weighs every dollar.
Fees, fares, and consumer pressure
Spirit reinstated change and cancellation fees for its lowest-tier “Go” fares on February 5, 2025, reversing a 2024 break that had lifted those fees during a tough period. The current fee scale is:
| Time before departure | Fee |
|---|---|
| 0–6 days | $99 |
| 7–30 days | $79 |
| 31–59 days | $59 |
| 60+ days | free |
- Bundled fares—Go Big, Go Savvy, Go Comfy—remain exempt from those fees.
- For price-sensitive travelers, these rules add pressure to plan earlier or choose bundles to avoid last-minute charges.
Why now? Spirit’s finances worsened through 2024 and into 2025 amid higher operating costs, softer domestic leisure demand, and the collapse of a proposed merger with JetBlue. Yield per mile and average revenue per passenger slipped in 2024, pushing leaders to restore some fees and zero in on core markets.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the company’s Chapter 11 process is designed to lower costs by “hundreds of millions of dollars” each year while it negotiates with lessors and creditors and weighs asset sales to build cash.
Refund rights and official guidance
For consumers, the most practical point is this: Spirit says it is notifying affected customers and refunding canceled trips.
Under U.S. rules, passengers are entitled to a refund when an airline cancels a flight and the passenger chooses not to travel. The U.S. Department of Transportation explains refund rights here: DOT Aviation Consumer Protection — Refunds. This page is a helpful reference for travelers who want a clear summary of when cash refunds apply and what steps to take if a refund is delayed.
What travelers should do now
If you hold a Spirit ticket touching an affected city in early October or beyond, take these steps:
- Check your inbox and reservation details for notifications from Spirit.
- Monitor your itinerary at least twice a week until travel.
- Decide whether you want a refund or to rebook if your flight is canceled.
- If you need same-day travel, check other airlines and consider nearby airports.
- Keep receipts if a cancellation forces you to buy alternate travel; Spirit’s refunds apply to canceled segments, but extra expenses with other carriers may not be covered.
- If a refund stalls, use the DOT refund guidance to file a complaint after trying the airline’s process first.
Additional traveler tips:
– Use the “My Trips” section on Spirit’s site or reach support via Spirit Airlines Customer Support: customersupport.spirit.com
– Consider travel insurance that covers carrier cancellations.
– For time-sensitive obligations (immigration court, USCIS biometrics, visa appointments), book earlier flights or day-before arrivals to create a buffer.
– To avoid reintroduced change/cancel fees on “Go” fares, book 60+ days in advance or select a bundled fare that is exempt.
Context, outlook, and local impacts
Spirit first filed for bankruptcy in November 2024 and sought court protection again in August 2025, underlining the depth of the challenge. The airline says the United States restructuring aims to steady operations while it cuts costs, shrinks the fleet, and seeks new financing.
Leaders say there is no immediate plan to stop flying, but they warn more network changes could follow as the court process continues. Analysts expect rivals such as Frontier and American to capture share in cities Spirit leaves, though prices could rise if total capacity falls.
Local response has been mixed:
– City leaders that celebrated new links—especially Macon—now face the loss of expected tourism and business traffic.
– Workers at affected airports may see fewer hours and more challenging commutes to other hubs.
– South Florida residents lose nonstop options to the West and Mountain West, increasing connections and longer travel times for seasonal workers, students, and families.
Spirit’s leadership frames the strategy as protecting jobs in the long term. If the plan succeeds, customers could see a smaller but more reliable schedule focused on routes with steady demand. If finances worsen, deeper cuts or consolidation are possible.
For now, the message from Spirit is “business as usual” on routes not listed for discontinuation, with refunds for customers on canceled flights and regular updates posted as decisions are made.
Practical resources
- Spirit’s newsroom for official updates: Spirit Investor Relations – News
- Customer help and self-service options: customersupport.spirit.com
- DOT refund rights and process: DOT Aviation Consumer Protection — Refunds
Important deadlines and warnings:
– The discontinuations take effect the week of October 2, 2025.
– The canceled Macon–Fort Lauderdale launch was set for October 16, 2025 — travelers planning around that date should secure alternate options now.
– Monitor refund processing and keep documentation in case complaints to DOT are necessary.
The next weeks will test Spirit’s plan. As the week of October 2, 2025 approaches, customers should watch for final schedule changes, keep flexible backup plans, and consider booking earlier or using bundled fares to reduce exposure to fees and cancellations. Spirit’s court case and network choices will ripple through fares, connections, and travel patterns across South Florida; whether that results in stable service will depend on demand, costs, and developments in the court-supervised process.
This Article in a Nutshell
Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 on August 29, 2025, initiating a court-supervised restructuring that discontinues service to 12 cities beginning the week of October 2, 2025, and cancels the planned Macon–Fort Lauderdale launch set for October 16. The carrier aims to reduce cash burn through fleet shrinkage, asset sales, and renegotiations with lessors and creditors while keeping ticketing and its Free Spirit loyalty program active. Spirit will contact affected customers and offer full refunds; U.S. DOT rules support refunds for canceled flights. Analysts expect competitors to capture some displaced demand, but timing and fare effects will vary. Travelers should monitor reservations, choose refunds or rebook, and retain receipts for additional expenses.
