Denver7’s Jaclyn Allen reports that Spirit Airlines’ shutdown could still hit Colorado travelers even though the ultra-low-cost carrier has not operated out of Denver International Airport since 2024. Travel experts warn that losing a low-cost airline reduces competition, limits traveler options, and can push fares higher across the broader market.
AAA Colorado spokesman Skyler McKinley told Denver7 that even travelers who did not fly Spirit from DIA may have used the airline elsewhere in their travel plans, and now that option is gone. He also said taking a low-cost carrier out of the market will likely have an inflationary impact on every airline. Translation: fewer cheap seats, fewer choices, higher prices. Government meddling strikes again, then acts surprised when gravity works.
The Bullet Point Brief
- Spirit shut down over the weekend, and while it was not currently flying out of DIA, experts say Colorado travelers could still feel the impact. Apparently, airlines exist in a national market. Who knew? Not the people who block mergers, apparently.
- McKinley said removing a low-cost carrier reduces competition and typically results in higher fares. This is Economics 101, which explains why Washington keeps failing it.
- Denver-based Frontier is offering “rescue fares,” summer pass deals, and extra flights to pick up former Spirit customers. Good for Frontier. Also, enjoy the line forming around the one remaining discount counter.
- Aviation professor Chad Kendall said Colorado travelers could see higher fares in markets where Spirit had a large presence, including South Florida and Las Vegas. In other words, even if Spirit was not your airline, its absence may still raid your wallet.
- Experts say the low-cost model was already under pressure from fuel and labor costs, and travelers should book early and use a credit card. That is solid advice, though “book early before the market gets worse” is not exactly a victory lap for consumer choice.
My Bottom Line
A gentle reminder: Spirit wanted to merge with JetBlue. Democrats said no. The Biden Department of Justice fought the deal, the merger collapsed, Spirit limped along, and now the airline is broke, the jobs are gone, and travelers are left with fewer options and likely higher prices. Amazing work, everyone. Put it on a brochure.
This is what Democrats do when they think they know better than the free market. They posture as defenders of competition, block the business deal that might have kept an airline alive, then stand around later while consumers pay more because there is less competition. It is like burning down the barn to protect the hay.
I am not here to romanticize Spirit Airlines. Flying Spirit often felt like losing a bet at 35,000 feet. The seats were tight, the fees were everywhere, and the whole experience had the emotional texture of a DMV kiosk with wings. But Spirit put downward pressure on prices. That mattered. Especially for families, students, working folks, and anyone trying to get from here to there without financing a boarding pass.
Markets are not perfect. Companies fail. Mergers deserve scrutiny. But when government blocks the lifeboat and then the ship sinks, spare me the lecture about protecting consumers. Consumers now get fewer choices, fewer cheap fares, and more expensive travel. Workers get pink slips. Competitors get more pricing power. That is not a win. That is bureaucratic malpractice with a press release.
So yes, Colorado travelers may feel this. Not because Spirit was beloved. Because competition matters. Low-cost carriers matter. And when Democrats try to manage markets from a podium, the bill eventually shows up at the ticket counter.
Source: Denver 7
Share your thoughts...