Airfares Have Spiked. Is the Death of Spirit Airlines to Blame? NYT - Business By: Elaine Glusac 7 October 2026 at 09:02 In the wake of the ultra-low-cost carrierβs closure, and with the cost of fuel and labor rising, domestic fares have become less competitive. But there are ways to parry higher prices. Β© Rebecca Noble/Getty ImagesSpirit Airlines planes parked at the Phoenix Goodyear Airport in Goodyear, Ariz., in May, a few days after the airline ceased operations.