Avianca will fly stranded Spirit Airlines passengers home at no fare cost, the Colombian flag carrier announced Saturday, becoming the first Latin American airline to extend a formal rescue plan after Spirit abruptly shut down operations earlier in the day.
The offer waives the airfare itself but requires passengers to cover taxes, airport fees, and other mandatory charges. It applies only to travelers who already flew the outbound leg of their Spirit itinerary and hold a return ticket to their original destination, with reaccommodation handled on a space-available basis on Avianca’s existing network.
The plan covers travel dates between May 2 and May 16, 2026, and is subject to ticket verification by Avianca. Affected passengers must go directly to the airport on the day of their scheduled flight, or up to one day in advance, to be rebooked. Reaccommodation will be handled in order of arrival at Avianca counters. No advance reservations are available through call centers or online channels.
The announcement directly affects travelers in Costa Rica. Avianca operates a daily Fort Lauderdale–San José route that paralleled one of Spirit’s busiest connections to Juan Santamaría International Airport. Spirit’s now-canceled Costa Rica service centered on nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, with one-stop connections through Houston, Dallas, Detroit, Atlanta, and Charlotte.
Avianca’s offer joins a growing list of carrier responses following Spirit’s collapse. Under an agreement brokered by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, American, United, Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest have capped fares on former Spirit routes. JetBlue is offering $99 rescue fares for travelers with immediate plans, while Frontier is discounting base fares by up to 50 percent. Allegiant, Avelo, and Breeze have also agreed to assist.
The Colombian carrier, which operates 140 aircraft and more than 700 daily flights across over 25 countries as part of the Star Alliance and Abra Group, said the measure reflects a longstanding practice of stepping in during regional aviation crises. The airline urged regulators to strengthen preventive oversight of carriers facing financial distress, arguing that earlier intervention could prevent disruptions of this scale.
Spirit Airlines began an orderly wind-down at 3 a.m. Saturday after a $500 million federal rescue package collapsed, ending 34 years of operations and putting roughly 17,000 employees out of work. It is the first major U.S. airline to fold for financial reasons in 25 years.
Passengers requiring special services through Avianca, including wheelchair assistance or pet transport, should confirm availability before traveling to the airport. The airline said it will continue to evaluate capacity and may adjust the plan based on demand.
