Avianca Offers Free Return Flights to Stranded Spirit Airlines Passengers
Avianca is offering free return flights to stranded Spirit Airlines passengers who already flew the outbound leg of their itinerary, covering travel dates between May 2 and May 16, 2026. The Colombian flag carrier is the first Latin American airline to extend a formal rescue plan after Spirit abruptly shut down operations.
Avianca will fly stranded Spirit Airlines passengers home at no fare cost, waiving the airfare but requiring passengers to cover taxes and fees. The offer applies to travelers with a return ticket to their original destination, with reaccommodation handled on a space-available basis. Affected passengers must go to the airport on the day of their scheduled flight or up to one day in advance to be rebooked. 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. Avianca operates a daily Fort Lauderdale–San José route that paralleled one of Spirit's busiest connections. The airline urged regulators to strengthen preventive oversight of carriers facing financial distress.
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