Spirit Airlines Scales Back Operations, Exits Minneapolis and Hartford Amid Financial Restructuring

Spirit Airlines is significantly reducing its network, announcing its exit from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Hartford’s Bradley International Airport (BDL) effective October 31. This move is part of a broader strategy to cut costs and simplify operations as the budget carrier navigates financial challenges, including a recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Key Takeaways

• Spirit Airlines will cease operations in Minneapolis and Hartford on October 31.
• Approximately 40 routes, about a quarter of the airline’s network, will be suspended starting in November.
• These cuts follow previous route reductions and furloughs of flight attendants.
• Competitors like United, Frontier, and JetBlue are expanding routes in markets where Spirit is reducing its presence.

Network Reductions Amid Financial Woes

Spirit Airlines executives informed staff on Friday about the decision to withdraw from both Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Hartford’s Bradley International Airport (BDL). The last day of service for these two cities will be October 31. This strategic shift comes as the airline grapples with significant financial difficulties, having entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring for the second time in less than a year in August. The company is under pressure to reduce costs and improve its financial outlook.

Rana Ghosh, Spirit’s Chief Commercial Officer, acknowledged the difficulty of these decisions in a note to employees, expressing gratitude to the teams and partners at both affected airports. Spirit currently offers limited service from MSP, flying to Detroit and Atlanta, and from Hartford, with nonstop flights to Detroit, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, and Fort Lauderdale.

Broader Route Suspensions and Competitive Landscape

In addition to exiting these two cities, Spirit plans to suspend service on around 40 routes in November, representing approximately 25% of its network. These cutbacks are a continuation of earlier reductions and follow recent reports of the airline furloughing about a third of its flight attendants. Despite these significant adjustments, Spirit does not anticipate exiting any additional airports in the immediate future.

The airline’s turbulent year, marked by two bankruptcy filings and substantial debt, has not gone unnoticed by competitors. United Airlines and Frontier Airlines have been actively adding routes that were previously served by Spirit. JetBlue has also notably increased its presence at Spirit’s home base in Fort Lauderdale, capitalizing on available gate space. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium indicates that Spirit’s total flight count for the fourth quarter of 2025 is projected to be down by over 20% compared to the previous year, even before these latest cuts were announced. Executives have described these changes as "necessary" to better position the airline for the future.

### Sources

• Spirit to exit Minneapolis and Hartford, cut dozens of routes, The Points Guy.