Spirit's collapse will end the era of the $49 fare

Spirit Airlines held 3.4 per cent of US domestic market share but shaped pricing across the entire network. Its liquidation removes the $49 fare floor — and the competitive discipline that kept legacy carriers honest on routes Spirit never even flew.

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Spirit Airlines airplanes at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images