United Airlines has increased its capacity, adding flights to 15 North and Central American cities. The decision was made in direct response to Spirit Airlines filing for bankruptcy in late August.
Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president of Global Network Planning and Alliances, commented:
If Spirit suddenly goes out of business it will be incredibly disruptive, so we are adding these flights to give their customers other options if they want or need them.
Beginning from 6 January 2026, the Chicago-based airline will fly more frequently between US hubs such as Houston, Fort Lauderdale, New York, and Los Angeles. New flights between Houston and Guatemala City, San Salvador, and San Pedro Sula will also improve United’s connectivity with Central America.
Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in a year on 29 August 2025. The previous filing in November 2024 led to a financial reorganisation that has failed to take positive effect. New tariffs and changing customer spending have accelerated the decline of the Floridian low-cost carrier (LCC).
Leading up to the bankruptcy filing, Spirit chief executive Dave Davis explained:
Since emerging from our previous restructuring, which was targeted exclusively on reducing Spirit’s funded debt and raising equity capital, it has become clear that there is much more work to be done and many more tools are available to best position Spirit for the future.
Spirit recorded a loss of US$1.2 billion in 2024. On 8 September 2025, the company succeeded in borrowing US$275 million in emergency funds as it prepares to slash routes and exit several US markets.
United’s announcement anticipates Spirit’s cuts and looks to fill a hole in American commercial aviation. The legacy carrier announced record revenue in Q2 2025: US$15.2 billion, up 1.7% year-on-year (YOY), even in a challenging business environment.
Spirit’s financial woes and United’s plan to cover its routes raises further questions about the viability of existing LCC models in the North American market.
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