Jun 25, 2025 - Business

Spirit Airlines seeks to stop JetBlue-United partnership

Dan Primack

Illustration of an illuminated airplane seatbelt sign, with a dollar sign and handshake dimmed, and a "no" symbol highlighted. — Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios

Spirit Airlines is asking the U.S. Department of Transportation to block a proposed partnership between JetBlue and United Airlines, calling it "anticompetitive."

The big picture: Spirit argues that the deal would make JetBlue a "de facto vassal" of the larger United, and that it would lead to more industry consolidation as other small airlines would feel compelled to accept similar offers from American and Delta.

Catch up quick: It wasn't too long ago that Spirit was on the other side of competition questions when it came to JetBlue, which in 2022 had agreed to buy Spirit for $3.8 billion.

But the DOJ successfully blocked that deal, eventually sending Spirit into Chapter 11 bankruptcy (from which it emerged in March 2025).

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Spirit Airlines seeks to stop JetBlue-United partnership

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