Spirit Airlines has taken a significant step to improve customer experience by eliminating change and cancellation fees across all ticket types. This new policy, which became effective last Friday, is highlighted on Spirit's website with the announcements, "cancel fees are canceled for everyone" and "change fees are gone for all."

Previously, the budget airline charged between $69 and $119 for ticket changes, depending on the days remaining before the flight, according to Simple Flying. However, changing a flight reservation was already free within 24 hours of booking or if made 60 days before departure.

In a statement to USA TODAY, Spirit Airlines explained, "Spirit has been evaluating changes to our product and strategy that will help us better compete, elevate the guest experience, and return to profitability. This new policy is among the best in the industry because it applies to each and every guest. We have many other enhancements in the works and look forward to sharing more soon."

Passengers can now make changes to their flights up to an hour before the scheduled departure time. These changes or cancellations can be done conveniently online under the My Trips page, through the Spirit chat function, or by direct messaging Spirit on social media. Airport guest agents are also available to assist with flight changes.

In case a reservation is canceled within 24 hours of booking or if the flight is scheduled seven or more days away, customers are eligible for a full refund. Otherwise, they will receive a flight credit equivalent to the reservation's value, as detailed on Spirit's website.

This policy change comes in the wake of Spirit Airlines' first quarter 2024 results, which reported a loss. Chief Financial Officer Scott Haralson indicated that the airline is "on the cusp of making changes which we believe will position us on the road back to sustained profitability" following the failed merger with JetBlue last year.

Coincidentally, Frontier Airlines, another budget carrier, also announced on Friday the removal of change and cancellation fees to enhance transparency with customers.

These moves come amid increased scrutiny by the Department of Transportation (DOT) on hidden and junk fees in the airline industry. The DOT recently banned bait-and-switch tactics, where a low fare is advertised without mandatory fees included, and mandated transparency regarding seat guarantees to prevent unnecessary seat purchases.

With these changes, Spirit Airlines aims to provide a more straightforward and customer-friendly experience, helping passengers avoid unexpected fees and enhancing overall satisfaction.