With airlines going wild to woo premium customers, coach fliers are quickly getting squeezed out
Airlines are increasingly focusing on premium customers, leaving budget travelers with fewer options. Following Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy, many price-sensitive passengers are turning to major carriers that are prioritizing premium offerings. This shift reflects a broader trend in the economy where airlines are catering to wealthier travelers while economy class options diminish.
- ▪Spirit Airlines has declared bankruptcy, eliminating a major budget travel option.
- ▪Major airlines like Delta and United are expanding their premium cabin offerings while reducing economy class availability.
- ▪Experts suggest that the widening economic gap is influencing airlines to target wealthier customers, leaving budget travelers behind.
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Travel With airlines going wild to woo premium customers, coach fliers are quickly getting squeezed out By Christopher Cameron Published May 23, 2026, 8:00 a.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google This month, America’s largest budget carrier Spirit Airlines crashed into Chapter 11 bankruptcy, grounding its fleet for good after 34 years in the sky. The tens of thousands of price-sensitive passengers who flew the zero-frills, dirt cheap airline each day are now being forced to return to premium carriers like United, American, Delta and JetBlue only to discover that they’re no longer commercial aviation’s target customer.
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