Spirit Airlines Scraps Fees To Attract Customers

Spirit Airlines has scrapped its change and cancellation fees in the hopes of attracting more customers.

Simple Flying, an industry publication, reports that all ticket fares are now available without those fees, following in the footsteps of Frontier Airlines, which also recently eliminated change fees.

Before eliminating the fees, Spirit Airlines would charge $119 for customers who wanted to change their tickets up to six days before departure, $99 for customers who wanted to change their tickets from seven to 30 days before departure, and $69 for ticket changes made from 31 to 60 days before departure.

There were no fees if the flight was changed or canceled within 24 hours after booking.

The discount airline did not make a formal announcement about the elimination of the change and cancellation fees, but news of their elimination appeared on the company’s official website. “Cancellation fees are canceled for everyone,” the statement reads. “Change fees are gone for all.”

Despite this revelation, Spirit Airlines is still beleaguered by issues that are making customers shy away from booking flights with them.

Last month, the company and Airbus reached an agreement to postpone all aircraft deliveries, which were initially scheduled for 2025’s second quarter through 2026. About 260 pilots will be placed on furlough as a result of this action, which is a part of the company’s efforts to hoard cash.

Spirit Airlines said that it will push back the planned delivery to 2030 and 2031. Spirit has decided to commence pilot furloughs on Sept. 1 due to this delay as well as concerns resulting from Pratt & Whitney engine quality.

Over the following few years, the arrangement with Airbus is anticipated to increase the company’s cash by about $340 million. The current orders, however, that are scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2029 are unaffected by this reorganization.

The Air Line Pilots Association’s Ryan Muller, chair of Spirit’s Master Executive Council, voiced grave worry about the impending furloughs and emphasized ongoing efforts to investigate voluntary alternatives to lessen or eliminate the need for layoffs and demotions.