I’m going to post this piece to vent my frustration with Spirit Airlines. Recently my sister, nephew and I went on a trip. I purchased to extra travel insurance, as COVID cases are rising and I didn’t want to be out money if we got sick. But that was worthless.

Well we got COVID and we immediately did what any decent person would do and canceled our plans, including our flight. It would have been much easier to get on that flight than the ordeal we put ourselves through. But we did not want to put others, and Spirit Airlines staff, at risk so we canceled. I used the link provided by the airline to cancel our flight about two days ahead of our scheduled departure and, as I paid for travel insurance, I requested a refund for the several hundred dollars I paid. When I cancelled and requested a refund they said I might be out $99 of the cost, but that was fine with me, if I got the rest of the money returned, as I am the one who purchased all the flights.

Fast forward to this week when I finally got an answer from Spirit Airlines informing me that they would not be issuing me a refund but instead I could have a credit for flights until October. However only me, my sister or my nephew can use the credit. Well none of us are going to be flying anytime soon. My sister can not as she has no more time off work from the trip and the week she had to take off on top of it for being sick with COVID.

They told me that I was a “No Show” at the airport for the flight that I indeed canceled and submitted a copy of the transcript proving it was canceled days before.

After that they still rejected my refund stating that even though I did cancel I was confirmed for the flight and the flight was not cancelled so I could not have a refund.

Then what is the point of travel insurance? I paid a large sum extra to have travel insurance for this very situation. Then I wasn’t allowed to actually use it. Being confirmed on a flight that they didn’t change, even after my cancelation two days before, was not my fault. Plus, if people don’t show they will likely resell those seats to people on stand-by anyways.

I asked if they insisted on a credit instead of a refund if I could use it for my husband and son who are likely going to Orlando in a couple of months and was told that only myself, my sister or my nephew could use the credit. They will not issue me a general credit amount to use on flights for anyone else. So I can’t be refunded with the travel insurance and I can’t have a general credit either.

I have been flying and traveling for years to cover Walt Disney World and Universal for this blog. I will no longer recommend Spirit Airlines. Even if you buy the insurance it only gets your a credit that you might not be able to use and you too could be out hundreds of dollars.

Perhaps Spirit Airlines would have preferred my party lied and got on the plane with COVID? It would have made it far easier on me and my family.

I gave them plenty of opportunity to fix the situation. I have provided copies of my proof of cancelation as well as a photo of the positive COVID test and they still refuse to refund me.

Some people will be like “well buried in the fine print it says…” or “well they are offering you a credit.” The way the travel insurance is presented is that if you have an medical reason you can get your money returned. They won’t even let you on the plane if they know you have COVID, but if you cancel on your own, to save others, this is how you get rewarded.

Just a warning, purchasing travel insurance with Spirit Airlines apparently does not mean you will get your money back, even though the implication provided is that is what it’s for. So I if this is something you are concerned about I would rethink which airline you use. I would recommend one with a much better track record with customer service and transparent fees and claim process. That way you aren’t out hundreds of dollars for doing the right thing.