Spirit Airlines, which had been facing growing financial pressures over the past few years, has ceased operations and is in the process of liquidation after 34 years in business, effectively shutting down as of May 2, 2026. The closure marks the end of one of the most prominent ultra-low-cost carriers in the U.S. market after years of restructuring efforts and failed merger attempts.
Consumer perceptions of Spirit had long been challenging. According to publicly available YouGov Surveys data, 27% of Americans said traveling by Spirit Airlines was a worse experience compared to other U.S. airlines, while only 7% said it was better.
Despite Spirit’s shutdown, most Americans do not expect major disruption to their travel habits. According to YouGov Surveys data, 72% say Spirit’s closure will have no effect on their likelihood of traveling by plane, while 7% say it will make them less likely to fly and 3% say it will make them more likely.
With most Americans expecting little disruption to their travel habits, the question becomes which airlines stand to benefit from Spirit’s disappearance. YouGov BrandIndex offers insight into which carriers might attract Americans who had been considering flying with Spirit.
