Spirit Airlines Drops 11 Routes, Lays Off 2,070 Workers: What It Means for Las Vegas Travel

Spirit Airlines has announced significant network and staffing changes scheduled for late 2025, which are expected to affect budget travelers, particularly those flying to and from Las Vegas. Starting the week of Oct. 2, Spirit will cease operations in 11 cities: Albuquerque (ABQ), Birmingham (BHM), Boise (BOI), Chattanooga (CHA), Columbia (CAE), Oakland (OAK), Portland (PDX), Sacramento (SMF), Salt Lake City (SLC), San Diego (SAN) and San Jose (SJC).

"As part of our efforts to transform our business and position Spirit for long-term success, we are adjusting our network to focus on our strongest performing markets. As a result, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue service at Albuquerque (ABQ), Birmingham (BHM), Boise (BOI), Chattanooga (CHA), Columbia (CAE), Oakland (OAK), Portland (PDX), Sacramento (SMF), Salt Lake City (SLC), San Diego (SAN) and San Jose (SJC), effective the week of Oct. 2," a spokesperson shared.

Eight of these affected cities are linked to Las Vegas routes. According to the local airport, other airlines will continue to serve these destinations from Las Vegas, ensuring travelers still have options even as Spirit exits those markets.

Spirit Airlines plans to also cut its workforce to match a reduced schedule. To this end, the airline plans to furlough about 270 pilots in November 2025 and about 1,800 flight attendants in December 2025, around one-third of Spirit's cabin crew, as part of the airline's realignment in connection with the fleet and flight frequency offered.

The full impact of these cuts remains uncertain. Travel professionals and those who travel are watching the situation carefully to see what the effects could be on tourism and air travel in Las Vegas. Diminished flight choices on some direct routes drive up rates and create more availability problems with the other carriers.

Local travel expert, Kim Reed, suggests that travelers plan early for traveling in 2026, book travel midweek, and provide various options on Google Flights to track and assess fares for the best deal. How other budget airlines fill the void will have an impact on the cost and the ability to travel in the coming months.