Several U.S. low-cost carriers have appealed to the federal government for a $2.5 billion rescue package, warning that jet fuel prices — roughly doubled amid the ongoing war with Iran — are making their already thin-margin business models unsustainable. Spirit Airlines, which has filed for bankruptcy twice in the past two years and has not turned a profit since 2019, is separately negotiating a $500 million government bailout that could give the Trump administration an ownership stake in the carrier; without a deal, the airline faces liquidation. The crisis matters beyond frequent flyers: budget carriers like Spirit hold around 5 percent of the U.S. market and analysts say their presence keeps fares lower on routes where they compete with larger airlines such as Delta and United.