Defined Contribution 401(k) Plan	12 Months Ended
Defined Contribution 401(k) Plan	Dec. 31, 2011
Postemployment Benefits [Abstract]
Defined Contribution 401(k) Plan	Defined Contribution 401(k) Plan The Company sponsors two defined contribution 401(k) plans, Spirit Airlines, Inc. Employee Retirement Savings Plan (first plan) and Spirit Airlines, Inc. Pilots’ Retirement Savings Plan (second plan). The first plan was adopted on February 1, 1994. Essentially, all employees that are not covered by the pilots’ collective bargaining agreement, who have at least one year of service, have worked at least 1,000 hours during the year, and have attained the age of 21 may participate in this plan. The Company may make a Qualified Discretionary Contribution, as defined in the plan, or provide matching contributions to this plan. Effective July 1, 2007, the Company amended this plan to change the service requirement to 60 days and provided for matching contribution to the plan at 50% of the employee’s contribution, up to 6% of the employee’s annual compensation. The second plan is for the Company’s pilots, and contained the same service requirements as the first plan and was amended effective July 1, 2007, to change the service requirements to 60 days and having attained the age of 21. The Company matches 100% of the pilot’s contribution, up to 8% of the individual pilot’s annual compensation. Matching contributions made to both plans were $4.9 million, $4.8 million and $3.9 million in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, and were included within salaries, wages and benefits in the accompanying statements of operations.

The entire disclosure for postemployment benefits, which may include supplemental unemployment benefits, obligations recognized for all types of benefits provided to former or inactive employees, their beneficiaries, and covered dependents after employment but before retirement. Disclosure may also include discussion that an obligation for postemployment benefits is not accrued in accordance with regulation only because the amount cannot be reasonably estimated.

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