Airlines Offer Status Matches to Spirit Elite Members After Shutdown

Several airlines are offering status matches to elite members of Spirit Airlines after the carrier ceased operations. The match is available to those who joined the Spirit Saver$ Club before May 1 and are not current or former Avelo Plus members. Avelo Plus normally costs $59 for the first year and $99 thereafter and includes exclusive low fares, free priority boarding and special deals for the member and up to nine guests.

Approval takes seven to 10 business days. Once approved, the Avelo Plus membership is valid for one year.

JetBlue is offering status matches to Free Spirit Silver and Gold members for a limited time. Silver members can match to Mosaic 1 status in JetBlue's TrueBlue program. This provides free first and second checked bags, no-cost same-day flight changes, priority boarding and security, and free drinks on board.

Gold members can match to Mosaic 2 status, which includes all Mosaic 1 benefits plus free access to Even More Space seats at booking and 3x bonus points on flights. Applicants must submit a screenshot with full name and proof of status. Gold members also need a recent boarding pass or flight confirmation email.

JetBlue may take up to four weeks to process matches. Approved matches are valid for three months and can be extended through the next calendar year.

Airlines is allowing Free Spirit Silver and Gold members to obtain A-List status for a promotional 120-day period. A-List status includes priority boarding in group 1, one free checked bag, free selection of Preferred or Standard seats at booking, same-day standby and dedicated check-in and security lanes.

The 120-day period can be extended for an additional 12 months if the member flies three qualifying round-trips, six qualifying one-way flights or earns 11,500 tier-qualifying points during the promotional window. Applicants must submit a form on the airline's website with proof such as an elite card or statement showing name and status tier.

The Points Guy reported that Papa Johns is also offering a limited match benefit to Spirit elite members, though on a smaller scale than the airline programs. Avelo flies 29 routes that Spirit previously operated, positioning it as a comparable low-cost alternative.