Trending Now - Crowdsourced Initiative Aims to Revive Spirit Airlines Legacy
WHO:
NBC News - Spirit Airlines was a budget-friendly carrier in the U.S.
The Autopian - Jon Jackson was a Spirit captain, and Chris Jackson is his son and a pilot.
WHAT:
The Autopian - Spirit Airlines ceased operations abruptly after two bankruptcies and high fuel prices.
The Autopian - Approximately 17,000 employees lost their jobs due to the shutdown.
The Autopian - Spirit Airlines had 114 aircraft, of which 91 were parked at 26 airports.
The Autopian - Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice, first in late 2024 and again shortly after emerging from the first.
The Autopian - The flight that ended Spirit's operations was Flight NK1833, which departed from Detroit Metro Airport to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
The Autopian - Spirit Airlines claimed that most customers who purchased tickets with a credit or debit card have been refunded.
The Autopian - Nomadic Aviation Group was hired to ferry Spirit's aircraft to storage facilities.
The Autopian - At least three Spirit A321s were moved to Goodyear and Pinal Airpark in Arizona.
The Autopian - The average age of Spirit's fleet was around seven years old.
WHERE:
The Autopian - Spirit Airlines had operations at 26 airports across the U.S., the Caribbean, and Latin America.
The Autopian - The aircraft were being ferried to desert storage facilities at Phoenix Goodyear Airport and Pinal Airpark in Arizona.
The Autopian - Spirit's last flight departed from Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus, Michigan, and landed at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas.
WHEN:
The Autopian - Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy for the first time in late 2024.
The Autopian - Spirit Airlines ceased operations on May 1.
The Autopian - The last flight, Flight NK1833, departed around 10 p.m. and landed just after midnight, with operations wrapping up by 3:00 a.m.
WHY:
The Autopian - Spirit Airlines struggled to recover from the travel downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Autopian - The price of jet fuel increased by about 70 percent since the war in Iran started, contributing to Spirit's failure.
The Autopian - A government bailout deal that would have seen the U.S. government owning 90 percent of Spirit Airlines fell through.
HOW:
The Autopian - Nomadic Aviation Group specializes in aircraft delivery and repossession and was hired to move Spirit's aircraft.
The Autopian - Nomadic Aviation hired at least 20 former Spirit pilots to fly the A320s and A321s to storage facilities.
(UPDATED May 9, 2026 19:19 UTC)
Spirit Airlines, a budget-friendly carrier in the U.S., has abruptly ceased operations after facing two bankruptcies and soaring fuel prices, resulting in approximately 17,000 employees losing their jobs. The airline's last flight, Flight NK1833, departed from Detroit Metro Airport and landed at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, marking the end of a fleet that included 114 aircraft, most of which are now parked at 26 airports across the country. Nomadic Aviation Group has been contracted to ferry Spirit's aircraft to desert storage facilities in Arizona, where at least three A321s have already been moved.