Spirit Airlines ends cancellation and change fees

ERIE, Pa. (WJET) — Just days after Frontier Airlines announced they plan to remove most change and cancel fees, Spirit Airlines announced they will end these fees as well. The new plans go into effect immediately and apply to all tickets offered by Spirit.

Before Spirit implemented the new changes, passengers had to pay anywhere from $69 to $119 for ticket changes or cancellations, the cost largely dependent on how far away your flight date was. During the pandemic, larger airlines like Delta and American got rid of change fees for most of their tickets.

A Spirit Airbus A321 airplane at Las Vegas Airport (LAS) in the United States. (Getty Images)
A Spirit Airbus A321 airplane at Las Vegas Airport (LAS) in the United States. (Getty Images)

The move comes after the Department of Transportation (DOT) passed new rules that require airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed as the crackdown on junk fees continues.

Frontier Airlines, stuck in a money-losing slump, is dumping change fees and making other moves

Frontier, while also getting rid of their change and cancellation fees, introduced new flight bundles and transparent pricing. The cheapest bundle is the economy bundle, while the business bundle is the most expensive, which includes two checked bags as well as priority seating and other benefits.

Frontier also said it is bringing back phone support for customers within 24 hours of their flight.

Frontier has not earned a full-year profit since 2019, and it has lost about $400 million since then and failed in an attempt to merge with Spirit.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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