Defined Contribution 401(k) Plan

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Postemployment Benefits [Abstract]

Defined Contribution 401(k) Plan

Defined Contribution 401(k) Plan

The Company sponsors three defined contribution 401(k) plans, Spirit Airlines, Inc. Employee Retirement Savings Plan (first plan), Spirit Airlines, Inc. Pilots’ Retirement Savings Plan (second plan) and Spirit Airlines, Inc. Puerto Rico Retirement Savings Plan (third 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 a maximum employer contribution of 3% 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. Both the first and the second plans are subject to the annual IRS elective deferral limit, which was $17,500 for 2013.

The third plan is for all Company employees residing in Puerto Rico and was adopted on April 16, 2012. It contains the same amended service requirements as the first and second plans. For pilots participating in the Puerto Rico plan, the Company matches 100% of their contribution, up to 8% of the individual pilot's annual compensation, but subject to the annual Puerto Rico pre-tax elective deferral limit, which was $17,500 for 2013. For all other employees participating in the Puerto Rico plan, the Company provides for matching contribution to the plan at 50% of the employee's contribution up to a maximum employer contribution of 3% of the employee's annual compensation.

Matching contributions made to all plans were $7.7 million , $6.6 million and $4.9 million in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and were included within salaries, wages and benefits in the accompanying statements of operations.