Spirit Airlines is reportedly set to cease operations at 3am on Saturday after a bailout from President Trump has failed to materialize.
The airline, which began air operations in 1990, had been hoping for a $500 million lifeline from the federal government, but the deal has not been finalized in time due to financial complications, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Sources told the outlet that the budget airline has failed to get sufficient support from bondholders and the government to secure the funding before running out of cash.
The collapse of the airline could leave passengers stranded across the nation, and places over 14,000 jobs at risk.
Passenger Taylor Gonzalez, 27, told the Detroit Free Press that she fears being stranded in Los Angeles with her three-year-old son on Friday night, saying she ‘didn’t know about this until just now.’
Despite the reported end of its operations, Spirit’s website is still allowing customers to book flights before the 3am deadline.
The carrier previously filed for bankruptcy twice between November 2024 and August 2025, and it currently remains under Chapter 11 protection.
Exit quote:
LMAO. Meme of the day. 👏🏼 🏆 pic.twitter.com/afuMU31JIG
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) May 1, 2026
UPDATE:
This tweet aged very poorly. Sen. Elizabeth Warren & the Biden Administration essentially bankrupt Spirit Airlines by preventing a merger with JetBlue that would have saved the airline. Elizabeth Warren was very very very wrong about this. https://t.co/0t9hqKBwbA
— Izengabe (@Izengabe_) May 1, 2026