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News
Spirit refunds 'most' passengers, but points and vouchers in major jeopardy
Sean Cudahy is an aviation reporter covering news about airlines, frequent flyer programs and consumer travel issues.
May 4, 2026 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
Spirit Airlines has processed most refunds for customers who booked with credit or debit cards following its abrupt shutdown and bankruptcy.
Passengers who used points or vouchers for bookings are unlikely to receive reimbursement, as these cases will be handled through bankruptcy proceedings.
Refunds for add-ons such as baggage, seat selection and inflight Wi-Fi purchased before May 2 are also being processed.
Other airlines have stepped in with new routes and capped rescue fares to assist stranded travelers.
What to consider
Refunds may take time to appear on card statements, and travelers should monitor their accounts for updates.
Those who booked with points or vouchers face significant uncertainty, as reimbursement depends on bankruptcy court decisions and is considered unlikely.
Spirit points were valued at 1.1 cents each prior to the shutdown, per TPG's valuations as of May 2024.
What you'll miss from the article
Details on how to pursue alternative refund options and insights into the broader impact of Spirit's shutdown on travelers and the airline industry.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Spirit Airlines has issued refunds for most customers who had flights booked with the airline, representatives for the bankrupt company said Monday — that is, passengers who paid with a credit or debit card.
Flyers who booked Spirit flights with points or vouchers will likely face an uphill climb toward a refund, after the airline abruptly grounded all its planes and halted all operations over the weekend.
And some 17,000 now-former Spirit employees entered the new week without jobs.
Here’s the latest on what to know about the biggest collapse of a U.S. airline in a generation.
Spirit Airlines refund status
For months, as rumors swirled about Spirit’s financial woes, one big question remained: What would happen to consumers' money if they booked a flight and then the airline shut down?
That question seems to have been answered.
Spirit on Monday confirmed it had automatically processed the vast majority of refunds for passengers who had booked their flights via a credit or debit card.
JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Because those refunds were processed over the weekend, though, the defunct airline’s website said it “may take time” for refunds to appear on card statements.
Multiple TPG staffers who had future Spirit flights booked for spring and summer have yet to receive refunds.
If days (and weeks) pass without seeing the refund processed, it might be time to consider backup options via your credit card company.
The airline claims it will also process refunds for add-on items like baggage, seats and inflight Wi-Fi paid for prior to May 2.
Bad news about points and vouchers
Unfortunately, the news is far less promising for passengers who booked flights with vouchers or made reservations with Free Spirit points.
Spirit’s official online guidance said decisions on making customers whole for those bookings would be determined at a later date via the bankruptcy court process.
But according to sources familiar with the proceedings, it’s highly unlikely those customers will receive reimbursement.
Spirit Airlines headquarters in Dania Beach, Florida. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
That’s bad news for both award redemptions and voucher bookings, as well as for customers who earned Spirit points through flights and spending on the airline’s cobranded credit card.
Prior to the wind-down of Spirit operations this weekend, TPG valued its points at roughly 1.1 cents apiece.
Passengers scramble to get home
While Spirit executed what it called an “orderly wind-down” of its operations over the weekend, passengers in the middle of their trips faced chaotic conditions as they tried to get home.
Vanessa Jimenez had flown with her family from Texas to Florida for a dance competition, only to learn early Saturday morning that her return flight had been abruptly canceled, along with every other Spirit departure.
A Spirit Airlines plane pushes back at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
“I jumped on United and got us a one-way flight for $200 each,” Jimenez said. “Little more than we were planning to spend and a little bit more than what Spirit charged us, but it was the easiest way to get home versus having to drive a 15-hour drive.”
She’s not alone.
In the first 12 hours after Spirit shut down early Saturday, United Airlines, for one, said it helped the budget carrier’s passengers book 14,000 tickets.
Even after every passenger and Spirit employee returns home, the implications for consumers remain, with the loss of a budget airline that long helped keep fares in check across the industry.
“Spirit’s Big Front Seat was the best deal in the sky,” shared Alex, a reader in our TPG Lounge on Facebook, calling Spirit’s demise — and that of its popular first class-ish product — a “huge, huge loss.”
Spirit Airlines' "Big Front Seat." ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Another reader, Seth, recalled how the airline’s affordable last-minute fares helped him fly during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and again when his daughter was born.
“They enabled so many people to travel who couldn’t otherwise on other U.S. carriers,” a third reader, Greg, shared.
Jimenez, for her part, wasn’t optimistic about getting a refund — “probably not,” she said — but what struck her most was the end of an airline that, for all its add-on fees, was the ticket to the sky for so many.
“I think it was affordable for a lot of people, and a lot of families,” she said. “I’m sad and irritated for myself, but I think I’m more sad for the thousands of people that are losing their jobs.”
TPG's complete coverage of Spirit Airlines' shutdown:
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
