May 4, 2026
With Spirit Airlines shuttered after more than 30 years in business, JetBlue [Nasdaq: JBLU] is stepping in to support stranded Spirit customers with $99 rescue flights, as well as an extended jumpseat agreement and interview opportunities for Spirit pilots and flight attendants who are away from home and out of a job.
"This is really tough news for the thousands of Spirit team members affected, as well as the customers who were planning trips on Spirit," Joanna Geraghty, Chief Executive Officer of JetBlue said in a press release (1). "We got to know many of their crewmembers during our acquisition talks and we're thinking about everyone whose lives are being disrupted. We want to help fill the void created by this loss."
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In 2022, Spirit entered a $7.6 billion merger agreement under which JetBlue would acquire it, effectively establishing the fifth-largest carrier in the country. While the merger fell through in 2024, Geraghty said (2) that she was hopeful it "would have unleashed a national low-fare, high-value competitor to the Big Four airlines."
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With Spirit now shut down, JetBlue is working to keep its word on providing travelers with affordable flight options. Rescue flights will be available through Wednesday, May 6 — though they'll only be available to travelers with proof of a valid Spirit itinerary for the same route or a co-located airport.
Affordable rebooking options
In addition to offering rescue flights, JetBlue is capping some fares to ensure that affordable rebooking options remain available as demand increases. All Blue Basic fares bought between May 1 and May 8 — for travel between May 2 and May 8 — on JetBlue-operated nonstop routes to and from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and San Juan, Puerto Rico's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) will be capped at $299.
Both Fort Lauderdale and San Juan are JetBlue focus cities that were operated by Spirit as of April. JetBlue is the largest airline in both destinations, meaning the airline has significant reach to ramp up meaningful support for Spirit customers.
In an effort to backfill critical service, the airline is also expanding its presence in Fort Lauderdale, with 11 new cities across the U.S. and Colombia, and 27 additional flights to existing cities spanning the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean. The airline anticipates operating nearly 130 daily departures from Fort Lauderdale this summer — over 75% more daily flights than 2025 and the most in the airline's history.
"With major operations in Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, we're in a unique position to help Spirit customers get where they need to go and ensure flights remain affordable despite greater demand," Geraghty stated. "We understand how unsettling it may be for travelers who are suddenly unsure of what to do next."
Geraghty added that JetBlue's focus is on "stepping up in the near term."
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Other airlines follow suit
United, Delta and Southwest have also vowed to cap ticket prices for Spirit customers who need to rebook canceled flights, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (3). While JetBlue and Southwest capped prices will only be available for 72 hours, Delta is offering the benefit for five days, and United's capped fares will be online for two weeks.
The U.S. Department of Transportation also recommends that travelers who have booked their itineraries through a credit card contact that credit card company. Travelers may be protected under the Fair Credit Billing Act, through which the credit card issuer must offer a "chargeback" for services not rendered. Some travel insurance policies may also cover "insolvency" or "service cessation."
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Business Wire (1); JetBlue (2); U.S. Department of Transportation (3)
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AnnaMarie is a weekend editor for Moneywise.
