Still scrambling after Spirit shutdown? Delta offering flight deals

The sudden and total shutdown of Spirit Airlines Friday left thousands of passengers stranded in airports across the country. Countless others had their bags already packed for flights that would never come.

In the hours and days that followed, passengers scrambled to find a way to their destinations, including booking on other airlines that swooped in to fill the Spirit-shaped hole.

Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is one of the airlines offering deals for former Spirit passengers to adjust their travel plans.

Here's what to know.

What are the Delta deals for Spirit passengers?

Shortly after the Spirit shutdown was announced, Delta said the airline was offering "reduced, nonrefundable rescue fares" for domestic routes on nonstop or one-stop flights that go through a Delta hub. This also includes flights from the U.S. to Latin America, the airline said.

The Delta website now shows a banner on the top of the page, saying "Spirit Airlines Suspends Service" with information on fares.

The rescue fares can be found on the Delta website or in the Delta app.

Previous Spirit Airlines customers, however, may still be surprised by the Delta price tag. What may have been anywhere from $50 to $150 on Spirit could easily cost hundreds of dollars at other airlines as prices rise across the industry.

A roundtrip flight from Atlanta to Minneapolis, for example, could cost more than $800 if booked this week, significantly higher than an average Spirit fare for the same flight.

How long will the Delta deals last?

Delta says they will be offering the rescue fares through Thursday, May 6 for impacted passengers.

Other airlines have also offered discounted flights for varying numbers of days and prices, including Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Information about these deals can be found on their websites.

Why did Spirit Airlines shut down?

"It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately," the Spirit Airlines website now reads. "To our Guests: all fights have been cancelled, and customer service is no longer available. We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 33 years and had hoped to serve our Guests for many years to come."

In a full statement released by the airline, Spirit officials said the closure came after an exhaustive attempt to restructure the business amid increased costs across the industry.

The company needed "hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity" it didn't have, or wasn't able to "procure."

Spirit was previously in talks with the Trump administration for a possible $500 million buyout, but the plans ultimately didn't come to fruition. A merger between Spirit and JetBlue was previously blocked in 2024 under the Biden administration.

Irene Wright covers the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Find the Atlanta Connect reporter on X @IreneEWright or email her at [email protected].