Spirit Airlines plans to shrink its fleet to between 76 and 80 aircraft by the third quarter of 2026 as part of its restructuring under Chapter 11.
The move represents a sharp reduction from the 214 aircraft the airline operated before entering bankruptcy protection in August 2025. Spirit currently operates 114 aircraft and has already been reducing capacity through lease terminations, retirements and planned asset sales.
According to court filings, the future fleet will be centered mainly on Airbus A320 and A321ceo aircraft as the airline seeks to simplify operations and lower costs.
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Spirit’s current fleet includes 54 A320ceo, 16 A320neo, 25 A321ceo and 19 A321neo aircraft.
The restructuring plan also предусматриes a significant reduction in financial obligations, with total debt and lease liabilities expected to fall to about $2 billion from $7.4 billion prior to the bankruptcy filing.
The company filed a restructuring support agreement and a plan of reorganization with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York and is targeting emergence from Chapter 11 by early summer.
Spirit has been marketing part of its fleet to potential buyers and has launched an auction process for additional aircraft, with a stalking-horse bid set at about $530 million.
The airline said it will concentrate operations on core markets such as Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Detroit and the New York area, while adjusting capacity to seasonal demand.
At the same time, Spirit plans to expand its premium offering, including additional “Big Front Seat” rows and the rollout of a premium economy cabin.
The company also indicated it could begin adding aircraft again between 2027 and 2030, depending on market conditions.
