Spirit departs from Columbia airport for last time

The news of the financially friendly airline Spirit discontinuing its services isn’t landing well with some students at the University of South Carolina.

The airline, which has declared bankruptcy, will no longer fly into the Columbia Metropolitan Airport effective Oct. 4.

What differentiates Spirit from competing airlines is that it is low-cost, offering one-way flights for as little as $50. That makes airfare more affordable for USC students to visit their families if they live far from South Carolina.

USC senior and New Jersey native Darby Bianco said that with Spirit’s departure, flights home might start to feel more like a first-class expense on a student-based budget. 

“Budget-friendly wise, it’s true,” Bianco said. “Now it costs like $300 for a two-hour flight, whereas Spirit, you can fly for, like, 45 bucks. A lot of college kids can’t afford to fly for that much money.”

For other students, Spirit’s affordable flights are also direct flights, making them a convenient choice as well.

In USC’s fall semester, there are three breaks, including long weekends and Thanksgiving. 

USC senior Sarah Munoz said Spirit has been her go-to for seamless, affordable flying to and from Columbia for breaks.

“It’s just easier to get on the flight that is not very expensive,” Munoz said. “And I’m not taking many bags with me, so it was the perfect option for me. Now I won’t be able to use Spirit to fly home for quick and easy breaks like that.” 

Munoz, who’s from Long Island, New York, takes the direct flight from Columbia Metropolitan to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy Aug. 29 for a second time, resulting in a permanent departure from 12 airports across the country, including Columbia’s. 

Spirit Airlines began offering flights out of Columbia in June 2025, with three routes connecting the city to Orlando International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. 

Columbia airport’s vice president of marketing and air service development, Kim Crafton, said Spirit’s announcement was unexpected, given the airline’s status.

“This news came as a shock to the entire airport team as all three routes saw consistently high load factors – which is the percentage of seats sold per flight,” Crafton said in a statement. “Additionally, the response from our passengers to this service proved this community can successfully sustain a low cost carrier.”

Crafton also said that if Spirit were to overcome its financial turbulence, the Columbia Metropolitan would embrace its return.

“It is unfortunate that Spirit finds itself in this position, and we hope they are able to reorganize in the bankruptcy process,” Crafton said. “Should Spirit be able to regain its footing in the airline industry, we’ll be excited for the potential opportunity to welcome them back to CAE.”