One of the most affordable airlines in the skies is departing from San Jose’s airport for good.
Spirit Airlines, known for its bright yellow planes and cheap airfare, will cease all service to and from San Jose Mineta International Airport after filing for bankruptcy for the second time in a year. Service ends Oct. 5, terminating the airline’s last remaining route — nonstop flights to Las Vegas. Spirit has steadily eliminated SJC routes to and from Dallas, San Diego, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Baltimore, Portland and Burbank since launching in 2023.
The cut is part of a larger downsizing at Spirit Airlines, which will also stop offering service at Oakland-San Francisco Bay, Sacramento and San Diego international airports, along with seven other airports across the country.
A Spirit Airlines spokesperson said the company apologizes for any inconvenience the cuts may cause, adding it will continue reaching out and refunding travelers whose flights have been canceled.
“We are grateful to the airports, business partners and community members in these markets who welcomed and supported us,” the spokesperson told San José Spotlight. “We remain committed to offering high-value travel options.”
SJC officials don’t expect the cut to greatly affect the airport or its budget because it will only remove one flight option, even with thousands of travelers expected to flood the Bay Area for the FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl next year.
Ana State, SJC spokesperson, said the airport offers alternative options for the service Spirit cut, including 40 nonstop national and international flights. She said SJC would welcome Spirit back if the company turns the corner and is financially stable again.
“It is always difficult to lose an airline partner,” State told San José Spotlight. “However, in this case we do not anticipate a decline in passenger volumes at SJC… Spirit’s reductions were introduced gradually over time, giving both the airport and travelers an opportunity to adjust.”
The cut comes barely two years after San Jose officials said Spirit Airlines would boost tourism to the South Bay, after the airport was hit hard by the pandemic. About 12 million passengers traveled through San Jose Mineta International Airport last year, according to airport data — still under the 15.6 million it hit before the pandemic.
The airport also worked with Spirit Airlines last year to launch nonstop flights to Washington D.C. to meet passenger demands.
Dan Connolly, chair of the San Jose Airport Commission when Spirit took to San Jose’s skies in 2023, said the airline’s departure is indicative of a struggling airline industry. He flew Spirit once, and although he wasn’t thrilled about the company’s “nickel and dime” practices, he said the South Bay deserves economic airfare. He’s unsure another airline will step in to provide that after Spirit leaves.
“It was exciting to bring a low cost airline in because in this valley, we have a huge socioeconomic range, from very low income to extremely high income,” Connolly told San José Spotlight. “I do think it’s important that we have choices in air travel and affordability.”
Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on X.
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