What happens if I cancel my Spirit flight?

No matter what ticket you’ve purchased, you have 24 hours to cancel from the time you booked for no charge, provided that the flight departure is more than 7 days away. If you cancel within that window, you’ll get a refund back to your original method of payment. If you cancel outside that window, you will still get a full refund, but it will be in the form of a travel credit. These vouchers are good for one year from the date they are issued, and must be used by the original passenger.

Can I change my Spirit flight for free?

Spirit does not charge a fee to change your flight, however, you will be responsible for any difference in fare. This applies both to cash bookings as well as to award redemptions booked using Spirit points.

When do Spirit flight credits expire?

Spirit flight credits expire one year from the day they were issued.

Does Spirit charge same-day change fees?

In most cases, Spirit does not charge a same-day change fee. You can standby for an earlier flight the same day for free, and if you want to confirm a seat on an earlier flight, you’ll only pay the fare difference. However, if you miss your flight and want to take a later flight the same day, Spirit does charge a $99 fee.

How To Cancel a Spirit Airlines Flight [Points or Cash Ticket]

Updated: October 31, 2024, 5:34pm CDT

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Key Takeaways
Spirit’s Cancellation Policy: Flights Paid With Cash or Points
Spirit’s Change Policy: Flights Paid With Cash or Points
How To Cancel a Spirit Ticket
How To Use a Spirit Flight Credit
Final Thoughts

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Key Takeaways

Spirit no longer has any change or cancellation fees.
When you book a ticket with Spirit miles, there are no cancellation fees, but cancellations must be made over the phone, and your miles will be redeposited into your account.
If you miss your flight and need to switch to a later one on the same day, a $99 fee applies.

Canceling a flight can be a very frustrating and expensive experience. Knowing the ins and outs of the airline’s cancellation policy can save you quite a bit of time and money if you do end up needing to cancel.

If you happened to book your flight or are planning to book a flight with Spirit Airlines you’re in the right place! Here’s all the information you need to navigate their cancellation policy and determine what policies apply to your situation.

Spirit’s Cancellation Policy: Flights Paid With Cash or Points

All customers have 24 hours from the time of their original booking to cancel their reservation without being charged a cancellation fee, regardless of the fare selected, as long as the ticket is purchased more than 7 days (168 hours) or more before the scheduled departure date.

Here are the current cancellation charges:

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Days From Departure	Fee Amount
Day of to 6 days from departure	Free
7 to 14 days from departure	Free
15 to 59 days from departure	Free
60 or more days from departure	Free

Standard Ticket

Spirit used to have fairly draconian change fees, but it removed all change and cancellation fees back in May 2024. Spirit now offers several ways to chance or cancel your reservation.

If you cancel your reservation within 24 hours of booking it and the flight is at least 7 days away, you’ll get a full refund to your original method of payment. Otherwise, you get a future travel credit that can only be used with Spirit Airlines and only for the passenger the credit was issued for.

Award Ticket

If you’ve booked a ticket with your Spirit miles, there are also now no cancellation fees. However, cancellation can only be done over the phone, and then your miles are redeposited back into your account.

Hot Tip: Looking for even more information about canceling award tickets? Explore our guide on canceling award tickets, including information on over 30 carriers, to learn more.

Spirit’s Change Policy: Flights Paid With Cash or Points

As with cancellations, Spirit no longer charges any change fees. However, that doesn’t mean that can select any new flight without having to pay more. If you are changing to a more expensive flight, you have to pay the difference in the cost of the fare, as well as any difference in the taxes and fees. Spirit also does still charge a fee if you miss your flight and want to make a same-day change to a later flight.

Here are the current change charges:

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Ticket Type	Days From Departure	Fee Amount
Standard or Award Ticket	Day of to 6 days from departure	Free
	7 to 14 days from departure	Free
	15 to 59 days from departure	Free
	60 or more days from departure	Free
Same-Day Changes: Missed Flight	Same Day	$99
Same-Day Changes: Confirmed for Earlier Flight	Same Day	Price difference
Same-Day Changes: Stand By for Earlier Flight	Same Day	Free

Standard or Award Ticket

If you need to make a change to your standard or award ticket, you can do so up to 1 hour before scheduled departure of the first flight on your ticket. Any changes you make are subject to the fare difference, including both the cost in points and any taxes or fees. You can change just about everything about your award ticket, including the origin, destination, stopover city, flight, and class of service.

Same-Day Change

If you’re planning to make a same-day change to your flight, you have a few options. You can stand by for an earlier flight on the same day for free, or you can change to an earlier flight with a confirmed seat for the difference in fares. Both of those options come with no additional change fees. However, if you miss your flight and need to change to a later flight on the same day, there is a $99 fee.

How To Cancel a Spirit Ticket

Step 1: Log in to your account and select “My Trips”. Then enter your last name and flight confirmation code.

Spirit Airlines My Trips — Image Credit: Spirit Airlines

Step 2: This will bring up your reservation summary page. Click “Cancel Reservation” to cancel your itinerary and get a travel credit or refund.

Step 3: The final page shows you how much money and points you’ve been refunded.

How To Use a Spirit Flight Credit

To redeem your flight credit, simply look for the “Redeem a Voucher or Credit” drop-down on the flight purchase page, enter the 17-digit code you received when you canceled your ticket, and hit go. Vouchers must be applied to a reservation at the time of booking.

Future travel credits with Spirit can only be used by the passenger they were issued to and are only valid for a single use, with no remaining value after that use. Meaning if you have a $120 travel credit and apply it to a flight that is $90, you will not be able to use the remaining $30 on a future flight.

Spirit travel credits have restricted use during government holidays, so be sure to check whether your dates are eligible. Spirit credits used to need to be used within 60 days of being issued, but flight credits issued after May 12, 2024, are valid for 1 year from the date they are issued.

Final Thoughts

Though Spirit used to have some of the highest and most punitive change and cancellation fees in the industry, there are now no Spirit change fees or Spirit cancellation fees in most circumstances. If you cancel within 24 hours of booking the flight, you get a refund back in your original form of payment. If not, you get a travel credit good for future travel on Spirit that is good for 1 year.

Canceling a flight can be a real pain, so consider purchasing your flight with a credit card that provides compensation. That gives you the most flexibility if your plans happen to change and you need to change or cancel your Spirit Airlines flight.