Frontier, Spirit Hold Talks Amid Financial Struggles

Executives from Spirit Aviation Holdings and Frontier Airlines Holdings recently held discussions about the future of their businesses, just days before Spirit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year, according to Bloomberg.

The meeting brought together Spirit chairman Robert Milton and Frontier chairman Bill Franke, focusing on Spirit’s rebuilding efforts and broader industry challenges. Sources said no merger or acquisition proposals were discussed. Spirit has previously rejected several merger offers from Frontier, including one earlier this year that valued the airline at $400 million in debt and 19% of Frontier’s equity. The two carriers also attempted a merger in 2022, but JetBlue’s competing bid, later blocked in court, outpaced Frontier’s offer.

Spirit Airlines, which only exited Chapter 11 in March 2025, remains under severe financial strain. Earlier this month, it secured a $275 million loan to cover liquidity needs, but Moody’s Ratings forecasts the carrier could burn through more than $500 million this year, risking default if it fails to maintain minimum cash requirements.

Meanwhile, Frontier is aggressively expanding its network, announcing 20 new routes for late 2025 and early 2026, 18 of which overlap with Spirit’s existing markets. The additions include new services from Baltimore, Detroit, Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte, Houston, and Fort Lauderdale, targeting competitive city pairs.

Frontier CEO Barry Biffle said the expansion was not aimed at undermining Spirit but at positioning Frontier as the leading low-cost carrier in major U.S. metropolitan markets.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com