Spirit Airlines delay: meals, hotel and what you can claim

Spirit Airlines's commitments on the DOT dashboard

• Meal or meal voucher for a wait of 3+ hours: Spirit Airlines isn't listed on the DOT dashboard.
• Hotel for an overnight wait: Spirit Airlines isn't listed on the DOT dashboard.
• Ground transport to and from the hotel: Spirit Airlines isn't listed on the DOT dashboard.
• Credit or voucher for a 3+ hour delay: Spirit Airlines isn't listed on the DOT dashboard.

How to claim

• Ask at the airport first: agents can issue meal vouchers and hotel rooms on the spot.
• If you paid yourself, keep every receipt and ask the airline to reimburse you in writing, quoting its dashboard commitment.
• Write down the reason the airline gave for the delay; it decides whether the promises apply.

When a long delay means a refund

If the delay reaches 3 hours or more for a domestic flight, or 6 hours or more for an international flight and you decide not to travel, the DOT treats it as a significant change and you're owed a full refund, due within 7 business days if you paid by credit card, or within 20 calendar days for other payment methods.

Spirit isn't on the current DOT dashboard summary, so check its customer service plan. Federal refund rules still apply.

Questions

Does Spirit Airlines have to give me a meal voucher?

Not by federal law. On the DOT dashboard, Spirit Airlines isn't listed on the DOT dashboard for controllable delays of 3+ hours.

Do these promises apply to weather delays?

No. Dashboard commitments cover delays and cancellations caused by the airline (such as crew or maintenance problems), not weather or air traffic control.

Can I get cash compensation for a delay?

Not under US federal law. Some airlines offer credits or miles for controllable delays; a refund is due only if the delay is significant and you don't travel.