The student football athletes and the college programs don’t swim in the same ocean of cash as the NFL players and teams, which is why they choose budget airlines to keep the cost in check. However, the recent operational freeze at Spirit Airlines and the identity shake-up at Southwest Airlines will negatively impact smaller Texas schools.

“Oil doesn’t show up as an ESPN headline, but it quietly changes how football programs move,” Prairie View football general manager Christopher “Cruize” Williams told Chron.

Imagine a small-town coach staring at a travel budget that just doubled overnight. Without cheap flights, sending assistants across state lines to find the next star quarterback suddenly becomes impossible. It forces these underfunded teams to rely entirely on local, cheaper talent just to survive.

Without warning, Spirit Airlines stopped operations of all flights at 3 AM ET last Saturday. As a result, it directly impacted millions of passengers, including college athletes. Around $1.8 million worth of seats were reportedly cancelled at the end of May, which comes down to 60,000 flyers every day.

The primary reason behind the collapse was the rising fuel price, which the company couldn’t keep up with as a budget airline. The recent conflicts in the Middle East, which delivered an unsustainable financial blow to the company, triggered the surge in fuel prices.

At the beginning of the year, the airline anticipated a cheap $2.24 per gallon fuel price, but in late April, it soared up to $4.51, which caused the collapse. Although the government proposed a $500 million revival package, the agreement failed to materialize.

“To our Guests: all flights have been canceled, and customer service is no longer available,” the company said recently in an official statement.

Even though Spirit was not typically used for the top major FBS football teams, it is certainly going to be a pocket pinch for the smaller teams. Unlike regular passengers, the football teams travel with helmets, pads, and training equipment, carrying heavy bags. With Spirit’s low budget, it was affordable.

For instance, a team like Texas Tech or Texas A&M has enough budget to avoid flying on airlines like Spirit or Southwest. As a matter of fact, Texas A&M reportedly has a private charter flight, making traveling easier.

Besides the players, the coaches of the smaller teams also used Spirits for the last-minute trips across the country to scout new players to the program, but the airline’s bankruptcy and the potential higher prices of Southwest Airlines after the rebranding may put significant stress on the budget. The football teams are reportedly thinking of an alternative and budget-friendly travel mode, such as increasing bus travel.

But sitting on a cramped bus for fifteen hours drains heavy football players before they even step onto the field. While big schools rest easy on private jets, smaller teams arrive tired with stiff legs, struggling to keep their championship dreams alive on a tight budget. As Spirit’s recent exit from the market has been a headache, Delta Airlines has recently come up with great news for college football fans.

Delta Airlines announces exciting news for college football fans

The college football main schedule starts on September 5, 2026. While it’s still four months away, Delta Airlines brings exciting news that will fire up every football fan. During the peak season, they will fly additional flights, which will add up to 10,000 extra seats to help the passionate fans attend their games in different parts of the country.

“College football fans plan their entire fall around these games, and we take that just as seriously.” Amy Martin, the Vice President of Network Planning, stated recently.

The airline is adding more than 40 additional non-stop flights between the cities alongside 27 aircraft upgrades. Some of the key games between September and November will include: Notre Dame Vs Wisconsin at Lambeau Field (September 6), Iowa at Michigan (September 25), Ohio State at Iowa (October 2), Alabama at Tennessee (October 16), and more.

The newly added flights will run on Fridays and Sundays, taking the fans to the biggest game day cities without any hassle. In addition, Delta will be using bigger planes on the busy routes.