How Spirit Airlines' demise will benefit rivals — and raise airfares even more

A Spirit Airlines Airbus A321 airplane taxis at Los Angeles International Airport after arriving from Fort Lauderdale on March 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Kevin Carter | Just hours after Spirit Airlines collapsed , its rivals unveiled their new flight plans. Airlines had actually been at work for months on their route changes as Spirit's shutdown looked more and more likely. Some new flights start this week. …