If you booked a Spirit Airlines trip and are now staring at headlines about bankruptcy, don’t panic. If the airline stops operating and you never receive the flight you paid for, federal law gives you a powerful backstop.Under the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), paying for a service you never received is considered a billing error. That means you can dispute the charge with your credit card company. Save your proof of purchase, your itinerary, confirmation email, and any communications, and contact your card issuer promptly. If they rule in your favor, the charge must be removed and refunded within 90 days.There’s more protection while the dispute is pending. You don’t have to pay the amount you’re disputing during the investigation, and the issuer generally cannot threaten your credit standing over the disputed amount. Keep making minimum payments on any undisputed balances so your account stays in good standing.Debit cards are a different story. When you pay by debit, the money leaves your bank account immediately, and you don’t get the FCBA’s protections. Your bank or the debit network might offer a voluntary chargeback process, but refunds aren’t guaranteed and can be slower or more limited. If you’re buying travel, a credit card is the safer bet.Bottom line: If Spirit goes under and your flight disappears, act quickly. Gather your proof of purchase and file a credit card dispute under the FCBA. If you paid with debit, contact your bank right away, but know your protections are much weaker. For future trips, use a credit card to give yourself the strongest consumer protections.
If you booked a , don’t panic. If the airline stops operating and you never receive the flight you paid for, federal law gives you a powerful backstop.
Under the paying for a service you never received is considered a billing error. That means you can dispute the charge with your credit card company. Save your proof of purchase, your itinerary, confirmation email, and any communications, and contact your card issuer promptly. If they rule in your favor, the charge must be removed and refunded within 90 days.
There’s more protection while the dispute is pending. You don’t have to pay the amount you’re disputing during the investigation, and the issuer generally cannot threaten your credit standing over the disputed amount. Keep making minimum payments on any undisputed balances so your account stays in good standing.
Debit cards are a different story. When you pay by debit, the money leaves your bank account immediately, and you don’t get the FCBA’s protections. Your bank or the debit network might offer a voluntary chargeback process, but refunds aren’t guaranteed and can be slower or more limited. If you’re buying travel, a credit card is the safer bet.
Bottom line: If Spirit goes under and your flight disappears, act quickly. Gather your proof of purchase and file a credit card dispute under the FCBA. If you paid with debit, contact your bank right away, but know your protections are much weaker. For future trips, use a credit card to give yourself the strongest consumer protections.
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