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Spirit Airlines donates $250,000 in airline travel to social justice organizations

Aug. 29, 2020
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3 min read
Spirit A321neo Economy LGA-FLL
Spirit Airlines donates $250,000 in airline travel to social justice organizations
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It's easy to give ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines a hard time about its nickel-and-dime approach to flying. But when it comes to supporting the communities it serves, and the increasingly crucial Black Lives Matter movement, Spirit is ponying up in a big way.

The airline has announced it will be donating $250,000 in air travel across nine organizations dedicated to the pursuit of social justice and civil rights in cities where the company operates.

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“At Spirit, we promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and strongly support the Black community, because Black lives matter,” said SVP and chief human resources officer at Spirit Airlines and president of The Spirit Airlines Charitable Foundation, Laurie Villa. “It is our commitment to continue to make a difference in the communities where we live and work."

Those organizations include the Urban League of Broward County in Fort Lauderdale; the Urban League of Detroit and Southeastern Michigan; the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce; the NAACP Las Vegas; the Thurgood Marshall College Fund in New York; the Common Ground Foundation in Chicago; Orlando's African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida; and the National Council of Negro Women and National Black Chamber of Commerce, both in Washington, D.C.

“During these challenging and uncertain times, we applaud Spirit for stepping up to strengthen our long-standing efforts to advance racial equity and social justice in our community," said Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh, president and CEO of The Urban League of Broward County.

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TPG's Edward Russell notes that the airline has not been immune from the pandemic, which has stalled the recovery of air travel across the U.S. The South Florida-based airline operated an average of 380 daily flights in August, Spirit CEO Ted Christie told staff in a July 15 internal memo viewed by TPG. This was down from previous plans that Cirium schedule data shows was around an average of 403 flights a day.

The airline did not outline how the money would be distributed across each organization in its statement, but with such notoriously low fares, these groups should have air travel covered for at least a while. (TPG has reached out to Spirit for comment and will update this post with any additional information.)

Read more: Everything you need to know before flying Spirit

Here at TPG, we unequivocally support the pursuit of civil rights. Read more about our commitment to fighting for racial equality both in the world and in our own offices.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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