HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Spirit Airlines ceased operations effective immediately on Saturday, canceling all flights, including those to and from Richmond International Airport.
Officials at Richmond International Airport are advising travelers with bookings with the ultralow-cost carrier, known for its bright yellow planes and deep discount fares, not to go to the airport. Spirit's primary destinations from Richmond were Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, both of which are served by other airlines.
Travelers seeking refunds can visit Spirit's restructuring website or email Spirit's claims agent, Epiq, at SpiritAirlinesInfo@epiqglobal.com or call 855-952-6606 (internationally 971-715-2831).
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Saturday that Spirit had a reserve fund set up for customers who bought directly from the airline to get refunds. People who bought from third-party vendors like travel agents would need to seek refunds from them.
"If you have a flight scheduled with Spirit Airlines, don't show up at the airport. There will be no one here to assist you," Duffy said.
United, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest are offering $200 one-way flights for people who can confirm they have Spirit confirmation numbers and proof of purchase, for a limited time.
For Richmond travelers, the routes Spirit operated in 2026 are covered by other carriers:
- Fort Lauderdale: JetBlue
- Orlando: JetBlue, Southwest, Frontier (seasonal) and Allegiant (seasonal via Orlando Sanford)
Spirit started operations at Richmond International in March 2018. Over the years, the airline also tested routes from Richmond to Las Vegas, Tampa, Detroit and New York's LaGuardia Airport. Spirit held a 3.5% market share at the Henrico County-based airport for the year to date through March 2026.
Spirit Airlines announced Saturday it had "started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately." The airline employed about 17,000 people and once operated hundreds of daily flights.
"We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come," the airline said in a statement.
Spirit has struggled financially since the COVID-19 pandemic, losing more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020. The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024 and sought bankruptcy protection again in August 2025, when it reported $8.1 billion in debts and $8.6 billion in assets. The Trump administration had considered a government bailout for the airline, but a deal was not reached.
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