Even After Spirit’s Demise, Advisors Continue Their Love-Hate Relationship With the Airline

Most refused to sell Spirit to their customers, saying it was unreliable and difficult to work with—but that doesn’t mean everyone is happy to see it go. 

Some fear that the loss of Spirit will increase airfares—and cause consumers to travel less. Some have fond memories or dedicated Spirit customers. Some rue the loss of more jobs in the travel industry. The really smart ones, though, are taking the opportunity to reach out and embrace the customers Spirit left behind.  

That’s the approach Asia Lantz, of Travel with Asia and Gilded Getaways, in Phoenix, AZ, took. She never booked Spirit for clients, she says—but that didn’t stop her from seeing the opportunity its demise presented to do a good deed and perhaps grow her business at the same time. 

“I posted in some local Facebook groups and offered to assist others who may have booked their trips on their own, and help them if they needed it,” she says. “I’ve had four people reach out, and helped them all, free of charge. One of them already paid my planning fee and is now planning another trip with me.” 

Helping Travel Advisors Grow

She’s not alone in crediting Spirit with helping grow the travel agency channel.  

Dorothy Johnson at SunLover Travel recalls fondly the boost Spirit gave her business in its earliest years. Back then, she says, “I wasn’t flying first class to Mexico; I was booking Spirit — $200 round trip from DFW to Cancun — six or seven times a year. Because here’s what I knew: the more resorts I walked through, the better I could serve my clients. Those trips changed everything. I’d come home, post what I saw on TikTok, and destination wedding couples started finding me—because I showed up, literally, in the places they dreamed of getting married. Spirit Airlines didn’t build my business. But it gave me the ability to grow my business without breaking the bank.” 

“I used them constantly when I was running my travel agency and flying back and forth to Orlando multiple times a month,” agrees Stacey Cabell, former owner of Starstuff Travel who recently transitioned to a training position at The Travel Institute. “It wasn’t about luxury; it was about being able to move, to show up, and to build something without every trip feeling out of reach. Spirit gave people access—not just for vacations, but for real life. For business. For opportunities. It’s sad to see them go, because they filled a space in this industry that mattered to people more than people gave them credit for.” 

“Laugh at them, sure,” says Dillon Guyer at Guyer Travel Network. “But even those who never booked Spirit benefitted from its business model. Thanks to Spirit I made trips happen for lower-income families that would never have happened otherwise. And I know flight attendants and pilots who pivoted into careers with Delta and United because of Spirit. They made an impact. And fares are only going to go up from here.”  

The Bigger Picture 

Many others also took a broader view than just the minimal effect Spirit’s demise will have on the revenue streams of travel advisors.  

“This is not just about flights,” says Jenn Lee, president and CMO of both Travel Planners International and Vacation Planners. “It’s about the sudden loss of one of the most accessible price points in travel. For many clients, this was the option that made travel possible. It is also sad to see so many long-time employees suddenly losing their jobs, and smaller markets that may not have been serviced by the larger carriers now without options.” 

Philip Sherlock of Avoya agency All Aboard International Co. is “concerned that the closure of Spirit Airlines, combined with rising fuel costs, will put upward pressure on airfare overall. That has a ripple effect—when flights get more expensive, it impacts discretionary spending and can influence how, and even whether, people choose to travel. I’m already seeing this play out with clients. Several have told me they’re planning to stay closer to home this year or are reconsidering longer, more expensive trips.” 

But at Signature Travel Network, CEO Alex Sharpe is hopeful for the future. “It’s always sad when a company closes, but I don’t believe the loss of Spirit Airlines will have a significant impact on travel advisor business,” he says. “I don’t think any advisors were promoting Spirit, although there are likely certain city pairs that will be impacted. I look at the demise as a failure to deliver to customers. Yes, having a low-cost airline is a great option, but I think customers struggled with their service and nickel and diming. The one thing we know is that the market will adapt, others will come in, and demand will drive pricing.”