Editorâs note: This article first appeared in Money Matters, a newsletter from Britannica Money, on May 13, 2026.
Why budget travel is getting more expensive.
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You may not miss Spirit Airlines until you shop for your next flight. The budget carrier shut down on May 2, eliminating one of the countryâs biggest providers of ultra-cheap airfares just as fuel prices and summer travel demand are already pushing ticket costs higher.
Even if you never flew on Spirit, you likely benefited from its existence. Its low fares pressured larger airlines to compete for budget-conscious travelers. With Spirit gone, you may soon see fewer bargains and higher prices on many routes.
Why Spirit mattered to airfare prices
Spirit Airlines built its business on a simple premise: to get travelers from point A to point B as cheaply as possible. The airline charged extra for carry-on bags, seat assignments, snacksâeven boarding passes. But its rock-bottom fares attracted millions of travelers looking for the lowest possible ticket price.
That business model also forced larger airlines to compete. Over the past decade, major carriers rolled out stripped-down âbasic economyâ fares specifically to keep budget-conscious travelers from defecting to Spirit and other ultra-low-cost airlines. Delta even referred to some of its cheapest tickets internally as âSpirit matchâ fares.
That competitive pressure mattered far beyond Spiritâs own passengers. Historically, when Spirit exited routes, average fares rose about 23%, or roughly $60 for a round-trip ticket. For a family of four, that could add up to roughly $250 in additional travel costs.
Now, with Spirit gone and fuel prices climbing amid the war in Iran, travelers may soon find fewer ultra-cheap fares available, especially in cities where the airline had a major presence, including Detroit; Las Vegas; and Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Florida.
23%
Average fare increase on routes Spirit exited before its shutdown. Source: CBS News analysis of Cirium aviation data.
Why cheap flights are getting harder to find
Cheap airfares were already getting harder to find before Spirit shut down. Airlines have been dealing with sharply higher fuel costs in recent months, and many carriers have responded by cutting less profitable routes and reducing the number of flights.
At the same time, demand for travel remains strong, especially heading into the summer vacation season. That combinationâhigher costs, fewer flights, and steady demandâhas given airlines more room to raise fares without scaring off travelers.
Even if fuel prices eventually ease, airfares may not fall as quickly. Airlines know many travelers are still willing to pay more during busy travel seasons, especially for family vacations, weddings, and summer trips. Once travelers get used to paying higher fares, airlines have little reason to lower them again.
Other budget carriers, including Frontier and JetBlue, are adding flights on some of Spiritâs former routes. But replacing all those cheap seats will likely take time, meaning you may continue to see higher prices and fewer deals well into the year.
Travelers may also discover that paying more does not necessarily mean getting more. Over the past decade, airlines adopted many of the stripped-down practices pioneered by Spirit and other budget carriers, from basic economy fares to extra fees for once-standard perks. Even as fares rise, many of those changes are likely here to stay.
Why airlines copied Spirit
Spiritâs ultra-low-cost model helped reshape the airline business, pushing larger carriers to rethink ticket prices, extra fees, and how they competed for budget-conscious travelers looking for the cheapest possible fares.
- Basic economy: As if flying in economy class wasnât bare-bones enough already, American, Delta, and United introduced even more stripped-down fares to compete with Spirit and other budget airlines.
- Extra fees: Airlines increasingly relied on charges for bags, seat assignments, and boarding perks because those add-ons generated revenue without forcing carriers to advertise higher fares.
- Unbundled travel: What was once included in the ticket price increasingly became optional, while some budget fares also came with fewer amenities, such as free Wi-Fi or charging ports.
How to keep travel costs down
Cheap flights are still available, but you may need to work harder to find them. These strategies can help lower the cost of flying this summer if you plan to travel:
- Compare full costs. A ticket that looks cheaper up-front may become more expensive once airlines add charges for bags, seat selection, or boarding perks.
- Book earlier. As airlines reduce flights on some routes, the cheapest fares may sell out faster than during the era of ultra-low-cost airlines.
- Consider layovers. Fewer cheap nonstop flights may make connections more common again, especially in cities where Spirit once operated heavily, potentially adding travel time but lowering ticket prices.
- Rethink loyalty. Travelers who once booked whichever airline had the cheapest fare may save more by using points, travel cards, or airline memberships strategically.
You can still travel on the cheap, but finding the best airfare deals may now require more planning, more flexibility, and reduced expectations about what comes with the price of your next ticket.
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This article was most recently revised and updated by David Schepp
