A special Spirit Airlines Christmas plane debuted this week, featuring the carrier’s first-ever holiday livery during one of the busiest and most meaningful travel seasons of the year.
The Spirit Airlines Christmas plane is a welcome change of tone after months of heavy headlines surrounding the carrier.
We have been covering Spirit Airlines a lot lately. Between merger talks, restructuring news, and navigating its second bankruptcy, the recent narrative around the Dania Beach, Florida-based ultra-low-cost airline has often felt serious and weighty.
That is why this week’s reveal of Spirit’s first-ever holiday aircraft livery feels like somewhat of a refreshing palate cleanser.
Instead of court filings and balance sheets, Spirit is leaning into something far more joyful this holiday season. Sweaters. Snowmen. Gingerbread men. And yes, even hot chocolate.
Spreading Cheer Across the Spirit Network
From 19 December 2025 through 5 January 2026, Spirit Airlines expects to operate more than 8,900 flights as travelers head home for the holidays and ring in the new year.
The airline says this season is about delivering value while helping people reconnect when it matters most.
“Delivering the best value on travel means even more when it brings families and friends together for the holidays,” said Rana Ghosh, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Spirit Airlines. “We can’t wait to welcome our Guests on board this holiday season and continue connecting them to the people and places they love most in 2026.”
Spirit’s busiest travel days during the holiday period are expected to be 19 December, 22 December, 26 December, 2 January, and 5 January. Across that stretch, Spirit flights will log nearly 8.9 million miles, which the airline notes is enough distance to wrap holiday lights around the Earth more than 350 times.
Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of all will be the over 3,000 cups of hot chocolate the carrier expects to serve onboard during the peak holiday travel window.
I can’t help but think about that scene in The Polar Express when the dancers come out with their carts and serve hot chocolate to all the children while singing and dancing. How fun would that be at 35,000 feet?
Meet the Spirit Airlines Christmas Plane
The centerpiece of Spirit’s holiday celebration is aircraft N628NK, an Airbus A320-232, now proudly flying as the Spirit Airlines Christmas plane.
The Airbus is wrapped in an absolutely adorable holiday sweater livery featuring snowmen and gingerbread men, transforming Spirit’s signature yellow into something far more festive. It is playful, unmistakable, and unlike anything Spirit has flown before—and we love it.
The Spirit Airlines Christmas plane will operate throughout the winter season, spreading holiday cheer across the carrier’s network and giving planespotters a fun new target during the colder months.
Bonus points to anyone who can catch the Spirit Christmas plane and Allegiant’s The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants plane in the same place at the same time!
A Lighter Note in a Challenging Chapter for Spirit
There is no ignoring the challenges Spirit continues to face as it works through another bankruptcy process.
But this Christmas livery is a reminder of what airlines are really about. Getting people home. Bridging distances. Turning terminals and runways into reunions.
Even on the busiest travel days, even if you are stuck in an airport watching the departure board shuffle yet again, the sight of this A320 taxiing by might be enough to make even the grinchiest of grinches crack a smile.
And, really, isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
