United Targets Spirit Customers as Spirit Cuts 11 Cities

Taking advantage of Spirit Airlines’ exit from several critical US routes, United Airlines has begun adding flights on overlapping routes to expand its presence and attract Spirit customers.

In late August 2025, Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year, citing financial struggles, including high costs and weak domestic travel demand.

Following this, Spirit announced plans to cut flights and end service in 11 US cities starting October 2025 to focus on higher-demand markets. Meanwhile, the airline’s new restructuring plan got approved by the US Bankruptcy Court.

Spirit’s weak financial condition also created opportunities for another rival. Just a week earlier, Frontier announced new routes overlapping Spirit’s markets, intensifying competition.

Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash