Will I get my money back? What to know after Spirit Airlines' abrupt shutdown

Spirit Airlines, the low-cost carrier that shook up the industry with provocative ads and steeply discounted fares, announced Saturday it is shutting down operations after 34 years.

The budget airline, which at its peak operated hundreds of daily flights on its bright yellow planes and employed about 17,000 people, said it had “begun an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately.”

All flights have been canceled, and customer service is no longer available, the company said on its website.

Why did it shut down after 34 years?

“Spirit is ending all operations,” the airline’s website has read since Saturday morning, replacing the booking homepage that had been active for less than 24 hours.

The shutdown stems from a buildup of factors, including:

• losses of more than $2.5 billion since 2020
• two recent bankruptcy proceedings and a heavy debt load, along with a sharp drop in demand and operating capacity
• the airline had warned its situation had become critical due to rising fuel prices driven by the war with Iran and failed talks to secure a financial bailout from the Trump administration.

Spirit Airlines had a fairly broad network in Latin America and the Caribbean, serving countries including Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Belize, and Mexico, as well as the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, Aruba, the Cayman Islands, and Sint Maarten, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The airline employed more than 15,000 people, many of whom could lose their jobs if the company liquidates assets to repay creditors.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re a traveler affected by the decision.

I got to the airport for my Spirit flight. What should I do?

All Spirit flights have been canceled effective immediately, and the airline is no longer operating any flights.

Affected passengers will need to rebook with another airline. “We apologize for the inconvenience,” the airline wrote.

What if I have a reservation? Will there be refunds?

Passengers with reservations will not be rebooked on other airlines by the company.

However, those who purchased tickets directly from Spirit using a credit or debit card will automatically receive a refund to the original form of payment.

If you booked through a travel agency, you’ll need to contact the agency directly to arrange your refund.

Can Spirit help me switch my flight to another airline?

No. Spirit said it cannot help passengers rebook flights on other airlines.

If your Spirit flight was canceled, you’ll receive an automatic refund if you paid by credit or debit card; the money will be returned to the same payment method. If you bought your ticket through a travel agency, you’ll need to contact them directly to request a refund.

If you paid with vouchers, credits or Free Spirit points, the refund will not be immediate. In those cases, compensation will be determined later as part of the airline’s bankruptcy process.

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Spirit Airlines is closing down. Thousands of employees and travelers are impacted.

Will Spirit reimburse additional expenses like emergency hotels or replacement flights?

No. Spirit Airlines cannot reimburse additional costs tied to canceled travel, such as hotel stays or the purchase of alternative flights.

If you purchased travel insurance, it may be worth contacting your insurer directly, since these costs could be covered under your policy.

For all Spirit Airlines information, click here.

This story was translated from Spanish with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool. An NBC 6 editor reviewed the translation.