Silent changes
According to Spirit Airlines' page about its fare options, including the four travel bundles its customers can choose from, the ‘Go’ fare, or its most basic ticket option, now does not include a free flight change or cancelation option. Instead, passengers will have to pay a fee to make changes to their booking.
The page also indicated that passengers could cancel their reservations within 24 hours or less from booking a flight for an itinerary that departs in seven or more days and receive a full refund in the original form of the payment they had made.
“If the above does not apply, you will receive a Reservation Credit. The full value of the reservation will be provided for Go Big, Go Comfy, and Go Savvy bookings. A cancellation charge will be retained for Go bookings purchased after February 5, 2025.”
The changes are also seen in the table that compares Spirit Airlines’ four fare types. The latest document, displayed below, now includes a row regarding Flight Change or Cancel fees, which the previous version did not have.
Elevated guest experience
Spirit Airlines announced the removal of change or cancelation fees for all passengers in May 2024, including the policy change in a footnote when it announced that together with San José Mineta International Airport (SJC), it would apply for beyond-perimeter slots to provide a direct connection between San José and Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA).
At the bottom of the announcement, Spirit Airlines highlighted its commitment to an ‘Elevated Guest Experience,’ which included one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the industry, cabin enhancements that included wider seats, and fast WiFi allowing customers to watch content from streaming services.
However, the list’s first entry was a ‘NEW!’ initiative, namely no “change or cancel fees for all Guests.”
The airline shared more details in early June 2024. At the time, it disclosed that it would be adding value and providing greater for its customers, enabling travelers to take advantage of its “first of many new milestones toward an enhanced Guest experience with more flexible policies.”
“Effective May 17, 2024, there is no fee to change or cancel a reservation on any Spirit flight. Travelers will only have to pay the difference in fare or receive a credit if the new trip is less expensive. This policy is among the best in the industry because it applies to every Guest.”
Matt Klein, the chief commercial officer (CCO) of Spirit Airlines, said that the carrier had a history of changing the game and that it was doing it again with these initiatives that would lead the way to a new era of low-fare, high-value flying.
“These enhancements provide each and every one of our Guests unparalleled flexibility and peace of mind, and it's just the beginning of our pursuit to make affordable travel easier and more seamless than ever.”
In July 2024, Spirit Airlines unveiled the four fare bundles, ranging from the most basic offering, ‘Go,’ to its most premium option, ‘Go Big,’ which, according to the carrier, delivered “the best value in the sky.”
Court decision
When the Department of Transportation (DOT) , then led by Pete Buttigieg announced changes to airline fees, including fees for passengers to change or cancel their flights, the Department said that the rule would help passengers avoid unexpected fees, which could increase the final price of a ticket.
However, in response, several industry lobby bodies, including Airlines for America (A4A), National Air Carrier Association (NACA, which includes Spirit Airlines), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), sued the DOT.
In January, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that while the DOT had the statutory authority to change such rules, it violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
As a result, the DOT, now under the leadership of Sean Duffy, will have to review the rule and make the necessary changes since the court remanded the rule to the Department.
It remains unclear whether the DOT, with Duffy expressing that the agency was hard at work to “remove government overreach" on his first day on the job, would not throw out the rule completely.
