Spirit Airlines cancels flights to key California airports: What this means for your travel plans

Spirit Airlines announced the cancellation of flight services to four California airports as the budget carrier filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than a year. The discount airline will cease operations at Oakland, Sacramento, San Jose, and San Diego airports effective Oct. 2, 2025, as part of broader cost-cutting measures to address mounting financial losses.

The Florida-based airline revealed it would discontinue service to 11 airports nationwide while also abandoning plans to launch flights to Macon, Georgia, which were scheduled to begin in mid-October. Spirit will continue to fly out of LAX, Hollywood Burbank Airport, and John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, its last remaining California cities. 

"We apologize to our guests for any inconvenience this may cause and will reach out to those with affected reservations to notify them of their options, including a refund," Spirit Airlines said in a statement. The airline emphasized it remains "committed to offering high-value travel options and will continue to serve dozens of destinations throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean."

The service cuts follow Spirit's second bankruptcy filing within 10 months. The airline first sought Chapter 11 protection in November 2024 but returned to court in August after reporting a loss of nearly $257 million. The company emerged from its initial bankruptcy in March but continued to face financial difficulties.

Spirit's troubles stem from poor demand for domestic leisure travel and what the company described as "adverse market conditions" in its most recent earnings report. The airline's operating expenses in the most recent quarter amounted to 118% of its revenue.

The bankruptcy filing significantly impacts Spirit's workforce. The airline announced it will furlough 270 pilots effective Nov. 1 and demote 140 captains to first officers on Oct. 1. The company also cut about 200 jobs across various departments in January as part of its plan to reduce $80 million in costs.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents Spirit's roughly 5,400 cabin crew members, warned employees that Spirit "is in a fragile financial position, likely more so than at any point in the previous 24 months." The union advised flight attendants to prepare for potential financial impacts from further flying cutbacks.

For affected passengers, Spirit offers several rebooking alternatives. According to the airline's support policy, customers with canceled flights can receive rebooking on the next available Spirit flight at no additional charge or obtain a full refund to their original payment method. Passengers may also receive Spirit Reservation Credits for future travel.

Rival airlines moved quickly to fill the market gap. United Airlines announced it would add flights to 15 cities starting Jan. 6, including trips to and from Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Las Vegas. 

"If Spirit suddenly goes out of business, it will be incredibly disruptive, so we're adding these flights to give their customers other options if they want or need them," said Patrick Quayle, United's senior vice president of global network planning and alliances.

Frontier Airlines, another low-cost carrier, announced it was introducing 20 new routes from Detroit, Houston, Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Charlotte, and Dallas, with flights ranging in price from $29 to $89. Frontier has the highest seat overlap with Spirit at 39%, compared to United's 18%.

Earlier this year, JetBlue announced measures to reduce flights on underperforming routes due to higher operating costs, while Southwest and United Airlines revealed plans to scale back certain flight routes amid weaker domestic travel demand.

Spirit Airlines has operated since 1992, serving cities throughout North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean. The airline built its reputation on ultra-low-cost fares but has struggled with rising operational costs and debt since the coronavirus pandemic. A failed merger with JetBlue that was blocked by the Biden administration further accelerated the company's decline.

The airline warned in August that it might not survive another year without additional funding. Spirit also disclosed its credit card processor was seeking additional collateral and could withhold up to $3 million daily from the airline.

Industry analysts expect the reduced competition on these routes could lead to higher fares as United and Frontier step in to fill the void. However, passengers still have options for rebooking with alternative carriers or seeking different travel dates. Travel experts advise booking early with new carriers or exploring other available budget airlines for those who had relied on Spirit's low-cost options.