Spirit in the sky: Spirit Airlines shuts down operations with all flights canceled

Published May 2, 2026 9:27am ET | Updated May 2, 2026 9:27am ET



Spirit Airlines shut down its operations on Saturday after a final bid from the government to bail out the airline fell through.

In an announcement at 2:23 a.m., just ahead of the 3 a.m. deadline to reach another deal, the airline said it would begin an “orderly wind-down of operations, effective immediately.” All flights were cancelled, and the airline notified customers that customer service would not be available. The airline blamed rising oil prices for the business’s unsalvageable position.

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