Spirit Airlines has asked a U.S. bankruptcy court for permission to sell 20 Airbus aircraft as part of efforts to strengthen its finances and reshape its operations. The move comes amid ongoing restructuring after the carrier filed for Chapter 11 protection more than two years ago.
Cutting Aircraft to Improve Financial Health
Spirit’s filing lists a fleet reduction that aims to trim costs and better match aircraft to current travel demand. The 20 jets proposed for sale are 13 Airbus A320-200s and seven A321-200s. The airline has set an auction for April 2026, with the hope of selling its fleet to a single buyer and get $533 million.
Industry tracking shows Spirit has already retired some of its older Airbus A320-200s over the past year. In 2025 alone, Spirit Airlines has withdrawn 73 aircraft from its fleet, with the vast majority being newer Airbus A320neo and A321neo models. Eleven A321neos were removed last year, including some that had only been delivered as recently as 2024. Overall, Spirit has offloaded 98 aircraft to date, including 80 A320-family jets and 18 A321s across different variants. Next-generation “neo” variants account for the bulk of those cuts: 64 of the 73 aircraft withdrawn in 2025, were neo models. More recently, the airline announced plans to retire additional A319s and A320s.
Restructuring Amid Legacy Challenges
The airline filed for Chapter 11 protection in January 2024 after years of mounting losses and stiff competition from larger U.S. carriers. The airline had struggled to maintain profitability amid rising operating costs, softer demand on some routes and pressure from rivals like Southwest, American and Delta. Chapter 11 allowed Spirit to reject or renegotiate certain contracts and leases, giving it flexibility to cut costs and restructure debt.
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