12 Cities No More: Spirit Airlines Is Slashing Flights After Bankruptcy

Spirit Airlines is at it again—but not with a $9 fare deal or a new baggage fee. The low-cost carrier just dropped a major bombshell: it’s pulling out of 12 U.S. cities starting October 2. Yep, 12.

Starting October 2, Spirit will officially stop flying to these destinations:
Oakland, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Boise, Portland, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, Birmingham, Chattanooga, Columbia (SC)… and poor Macon, GA, which got dropped before Spirit even launched service there.

Now, before you panic and start hoarding those $49 one-way tickets, here’s why this is happening: Spirit is deep in financial survival mode. They recently filed for bankruptcy (again) and are now slashing routes in their network: “Does this city spark profit? No? No in our route anymore.”

Let’s be real—this is a big deal for travelers who relied on Spirit’s ultra-low fares, especially in the West Coast cities. Oakland, San Jose, San Diego, and Sacramento. This means no more last-minute Vegas trips for $39 (though maybe that’s saving you from losing $400 at the slots). Boise and Salt Lake City are also unfortunately on the list of cities Spirit Airlines won't be flying to.

And if you live in Chattanooga or Columbia, you’re probably already used to awkward flight connections; get ready, as it might get even harder to find a direct option now, since Spirit is cutting flights there.

The biggest shake-up? Las Vegas. Spirit is chopping more than half of its Vegas flights and cutting eight routes there. This is all part of reducing capacity by about 3.9% in October .So if your favorite budget airline was your go-to for that spontaneous Sin City getaway, time to start flying with Frontier or Allegiant.

Competitors, by the way, are already circling like sharks. United and Frontier are jumping in to grab those vacated spots, so you might see some new options popping up. Southwest could also benefit, especially in the West, while Allegiant eyes smaller cities that Spirit abandoned. The shake-up could mean new flights—but likely not Spirit’s rock-bottom fares.

What does this mean for you?
1. If you’ve got Spirit flights booked for after October 2 from any of these cities, check your emails ASAP.
2. If you live in one of the 12 ghosted cities, it’s time to download some new airline apps.
If you just love watching airline drama, grab some popcorn—this saga is far from over.

Fun Fact : Did you know Spirit’s first-ever flight was in 1983—and back then, they weren’t even an airline? They started as a charter tour operator called Charter One. Fast-forward to now, and they’re one of the most talked-about carriers (for better or worse!). We’ll keep bringing you all the updates, airline drama, and some new cool stuff you won’t want to miss—so follow us and stay in the loop.

For more on Spirit’s bankruptcy backdrop, check out our earlier piece: Bankruptcy Encore: Spirit Airlines Flies Through Chapter 11