NEW YORK, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Spirit Aviation is seeking court approval to transfer two airport gates to United Airlines for $30.2 million, according to a court filing.
As part of its network optimization, Spirit determined it no longer needs all four preferential gates at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The airline previously reassigned two of those gates to American Airlines in December.
In August 2025, Spirit filed for bankruptcy for a second time as it grappled with dwindling cash reserves and mounting losses. The company has already exited 14 airports and rejected leases for over 80 aircraft in an effort to shed non-core assets and preserve cash.
According to the filing, two major airlines submitted bids. Spirit said United offered the highest and best combination of price and operational fit.
If approved by the court, Spirit said it will use the $30.2 million assignment fee to pay down debt.
(Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
