Spirit Airlines had a theme-park ride? 5 things to know about the doomed company
Spirit Airlines has been a symbol for rock-bottom fares. But did you know that one of its planes also was a theme-park ride in Broward County?
Here are five things to know about the South Florida-based company, which ceased operations on Saturday, May 1:
Theme-park life: Spirit Airlines had a major presence at Wannado City, the career-focused theme park that opened in 2004 inside the Sawgrass Mills mall in Sunrise. Kids could climb into a fuselage painted in Spirit colors and logo and work the flight simulator inside. Wannado City closed in 2011.
Travel to South Florida: Spirit Airlines headquarters moved from the Detroit area to Miramar in 1999, just before the airline began the shift to being a low-cost carrier. Spirit has been the largest airline at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. It employed more than 17,000 people, including more than 3,000 in South Florida. They include pilots, flight attendants, ground teams and counter agents. The airline moved from Miramar to Dania Beach in 2024 after breaking ground on the new site in January 2020.
Arrival in the 305: Spirit made its debut at Miami International Airport in October 2021.
Everything for a price: Spirit was a leader in starting a no-frills, pay-for-service system that many airlines follow. Spirit passengers get a seat and a personal item for a base fare and have to pay extra for just about everything else.
Meltdowns: The COVID-19 pandemic period brought a dramatic increase in unruly passengers, and Spirit had seen more than its fair share of disruptive behavior. In some instances, people became restless dealing with red tape at the airport and had tantrums in the terminal. Others revolted against mask-wearing and caused a ruckus in the air. Some customers even attacked flight attendants or twerked in the aisle. Drinking sometimes added to the issues. Perhaps the oddest transgression was when a woman broke a law that went into effect more than 30 years ago, lighting up a cigarette while the plane was still taxiing at FLL.
This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 6:05 AM.
