Spirit Airlines shutdown: How to get home and get refunds

Key Points:

• Several major airlines, including American, United, Delta, JetBlue, Frontier, and Southwest, are offering discounted "rescue fares" to help stranded Spirit Airlines passengers rebook flights on overlapping routes, with limited-time offers varying by airline.
• Spirit Airlines is processing automatic refunds for flights paid by credit or debit card, while travelers who booked through third parties should seek refunds from their agents; others using vouchers or points may face delays due to bankruptcy proceedings.
• Passengers are advised to contact credit card companies for chargebacks under the Fair Credit Billing Act or check travel insurance coverage for insolvency-related claims to recover costs for canceled Spirit flights.
• American and United are increasing capacity by deploying larger aircraft and adding flights on key routes to accommodate displaced Spirit customers, while Southwest is offering status matches to Spirit’s elite members; Hertz is promoting discounted car rentals as an alternative travel option.
• Spirit Airlines employees affected by the shutdown are being offered travel benefits on other carriers for repositioning flights, and major airlines like American are conducting recruiting events and providing preferential hiring opportunities for displaced Spirit staff.