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The sudden collapse of Spirit Airlines has left thousands of travelers scrambling and airlines outdoing themselves to help. And now JetBlue is stepping in with a very specific pitch: $99 flights and a major expansion in South Florida.
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In a newly announced plan, JetBlue says it will offer “rescue fares” starting at $99 one-way for stranded Spirit passengers who can show proof of a canceled itinerary. The deal is designed for immediate travel and is only available through May 6.
There’s a catch, of course: Travelers need to be flying the same (or a nearby) route and must book directly through JetBlue to access the discounted fare. In other words: Get ready to be put on hold while intermittently shouting, "Representative!" into your phone.
The move comes in response to one of the biggest disruptions in recent U.S. travel history. Spirit, long known for its ultra-low fares (and à la carte everything else), abruptly shut down operations on May 2 after failing to secure financing, canceling thousands of flights and stranding passengers across the country.
As part of the same announcement, JetBlue revealed plans to add 11 new destinations from Fort Lauderdale, a former Spirit stronghold. The expansion will significantly increase JetBlue’s footprint at the airport, with the airline expecting to operate its largest-ever schedule there this summer.
The new routes, which begin rolling out in July, are meant to “fill the void” left by Spirit’s disappearance, particularly in leisure-heavy markets across Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America. The new cities are Barranquilla, Colombia; Baltimore; Cali, Colombia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; and Indianapolis. Meanwhile, Nashville, Detroit, Houston, Chicago and Ponce, Puerto Rico, all get non-stop service to Fort Lauderdale.
JetBlue is also capping some fares at $299 on key routes previously served by Spirit, a move aimed at preventing last-minute price spikes as demand surges.
And it’s not just passengers the airline is courting. JetBlue says it will offer job interviews to displaced Spirit employees and extend travel privileges to help crew members get home, a notable gesture in an industry not exactly known for prioritizing human comfort over profit.
Still, the broader picture is complicated. While the $99 fares are undeniably appealing, they’re temporary. With Spirit gone, fewer ultra-low-cost options could mean higher baseline fares in the long run, even as airlines like JetBlue rush to stabilize the moment.
But for now, there’s a narrow window to snag a cheap flight that JetBlue is betting you’ll take.