Your Spirit miles are confetti now
Issue #2 · Originally sent May 7, 2026
This issue was originally sent on May 7, 2026. Some promotions, award availability, and transfer bonuses mentioned below may have changed or expired since then.
Spirit went dark this week - full ground stop, less than two months after exiting bankruptcy. If you have Free Spirit miles, they're cooked. If you had a ticket, the DOT is pushing competing carriers to honor it on a space-available basis. Don't count on it for tomorrow's flight.
What this means for you:
- Budget fares are about to climb. Spirit was the biggest ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) in the US, and Frontier is now the only major one left.
- Status matches are showing up fast - JetBlue's already running one.
- Don't book Spirit-coded codeshares until things settle. The metal isn't flying.
Sweet spot: Capital One -> Qantas 20% transfer bonus through May 31
Capital One Miles transfer to Qantas Frequent Flyer at 1:1.2 through May 31. Qantas prices oneworld partners on a fixed distance-based award chart - the same seat costs the same Qantas points whether you book it on a peak holiday or a quiet Tuesday. That's rare in 2026 where most programs have gone dynamic. The bonus stretches Capital One Miles into oneworld business and first class redemptions that other programs charge a premium for. Same rule as always: only transfer when you've found availability for a confirmed redemption.
- Cathay Pacific business class on Pacific routes — Qantas's distance-based chart prices long-haul oneworld biz lower than most flexible-currency programs do, and Cathay availability is often easier to find through Qantas than through AAdvantage.
- JAL business class to Tokyo — Fixed-rate pricing means peak and off-peak cost the same in Qantas points, so cherry-blossom and Golden Week dates don't carry a points premium.
- Fiji Airways business class LAX-NAN — Fiji Airways award pricing is hard to find in any other program; Qantas is one of the few partners that charges them at chart rates.
- Intra-Asia business class on Cathay or Qatar — Short-haul oneworld business got expensive in dynamic programs; Qantas's chart-based pricing keeps these redemptions sane.
Also happening
- Status MatchJetBlue is matching Free Spirit Silver/Gold straight to TrueBlue Mosaic.No qualifying flights needed. With Spirit's points already evaporated, this is the most useful thing you can do with that history. Window closes May 31.
- Bonus TransferChase UR to Flying Blue 20% bonus through May 27.Flying Blue prices SkyTeam awards well - Air France and KLM business class are the headliners. Same rule as always: confirmed redemption only, no speculative transfers.
- Earn RateDelta SkyMiles now earns 3x on Airbnb Experiences and Services.Stack a tour, cooking class, or local guide onto your Airbnb stay and the miles post on the activity, not just the lodging. Book through the linked portal so the credit catches.
Jill's take
Spirit's vacation routes don't disappear - they change hands. Frontier and JetBlue are already announcing schedule fills on Myrtle Beach, Pensacola, Punta Gorda. If you had a saved fare alert for any of those, refresh it this weekend. The deal didn't die. It just got a new tail number.