A grassroots social media campaign is gaining traction to revive Spirit Airlines after the ultra-low-cost carrier ceased operations over the weekend following 34 years in service.
The initiative, dubbed “Let’s Buy Spirit,” is rallying public support to collectively purchase and relaunch the airline. Organizers say more than 120,000 people have already registered interest, with non-binding pledges totaling about $88 million before the campaign website briefly went offline due to heavy traffic. It has now returned with pledges reaching $132 million on May 05.
No funds have been collected yet. Instead, participants are signaling intent to back a potential acquisition of the collapsed carrier. Experts estimate that an airline’s revival would request at least a minimum of $500 million.
The movement was launched by social media creator and voice actor Hunter Peterson, who suggested that if a fraction of U.S. adults contributed the equivalent of a typical Spirit fare—around $30 to $40—the group could raise enough capital to acquire the airline.
Peterson envisions a cooperative ownership model, similar to the Green Bay Packers NFL franchise, where members would each hold a stake and voting rights in key decisions, from leadership to route strategy.
According to campaign messaging, the goal is to give passengers, employees, and communities a chance to reclaim the airline before private equity firms step in.
The proposed minimum pledge is $45, roughly the price of a one-way ticket, although the average commitment so far is significantly higher.
Despite the viral momentum, Peterson acknowledges the scale of the challenge, noting that acquiring and relaunching an airline would likely require billions of dollars. He has called on industry professionals, including aviation lawyers and communications experts, to support the effort. He hopes that his crowd-funding website could generate commitments of $1.7 billion.
The campaign’s website is expected to restore full functionality within the next couple of days, with updates continuing via social media channels.
