Airlines that have gone from 2020 - 2026

Following yesterday’s news about Air Calédonie filing for bankruptcy, I started wondering how many airlines have gone under over the years. Unfortunately, there have been hundreds, so I decided to focus on just the last six years.

Between 2020 and 2026, the aviation industry has been through some major turbulence, driven by the global pandemic and changing economic landscapes. Some airlines shut down completely, while others reorganized under Chapter 11 or merged with competitors to stay afloat.

Here’s a list of airlines starting from today and going back in time.

2026–2025

Many regional and budget airlines have been facing challenges lately, dealing with higher operating expenses and mounting debt.

• Spirit Airlines (USA): Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in late 2024; it emerged in early 2025 with plans to rebrand as a premium carrier.
• Silver Airways (USA): A Florida-based regional airline that ceased all operations in June 2025 after a failed restructuring.
• PLAY (Iceland): The low-cost carrier ceased operations in September 2025 after failing to consolidate its model.
• Braathens International Airways (Sweden): Suddenly closed its jet-operating charter division in September 2025.
• Ravn Alaska (USA): After being rescued in 2020, it ceased all operations again in August 2025.
• Voepass (Brazil): Grounded in March 2025 following serious operational and financial issues.
• Wizz Air Abu Dhabi: Announced it would close its Abu Dhabi subsidiary in September 2025 due to a difficult operational environment.

2024

This year was marked by a number of high-profile failures and significant brand mergers.

• Lynx Air (Canada): Ceased operations in February 2024 due to intense market competition.
• Bonza (Australia): An ambitious low-cost carrier that shut down in April 2024.
• Vistara (India): Ceased independent operations in November 2024 following its merger into Air India.
• Air Malta: Formally ceased operations in March 2024 and was replaced by a new state entity, KM Malta Airlines.
• CSA Czech Airlines: A historic carrier that ceased its own operations in October 2024, becoming a holding company for Smartwings.
• Nordica (Estonia): Filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations in November 2024

2023–2021

• Flyr (Norway): Launched in 2021 but folded by early 2023 due to shifting travel patterns.
• Aeromar (Mexico): Declared bankruptcy in 2023 after failing to recover from the pandemic.
• GoFirst (India): Filed for insolvency in 2023, citing cash flow issues and engine failures.
• Alitalia (Italy): The longtime flag carrier ceased operations in October 2021, succeeded by ITA Airways.
• Air Namibia: Filed for bankruptcy and ceased all operations in February 2021.

2020

The first wave of the pandemic caused dozens of airlines to collapse or quickly restructure.

• Flybe (UK): Initially entered administration in March 2020 (later relaunched and folded again in 2023).
• Air Italy: Suspended operations and entered liquidation in February 2020.
• Compass Airlines & Trans States Airlines (USA): Regional feeders for Delta and United that shut down in April 2020.
• Tigerair Australia: Retired in 2020 during the voluntary administration of its parent, Virgin Australia.
• NokScoot (Thailand): Liquidated in June 2020 due to low travel demand.
• Germanwings: Permanently closed by parent Lufthansa in April 2020.