Spirit Airlines (NK, Fort Lauderdale International) has signed a sale/lease-back deal with ORIX Aviation covering five A320-200Ns.

The first of the five aircraft, N976NK (msn 11276), was delivered to the ultra-low-cost carrier on April 11, 2023, from the Airbus site at Mobile Downtown airport. It entered into service on April 14, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. It is the first aircraft leased by Spirit Airlines from ORIX Aviation.

"We are delighted to deliver the first of these A320neo units to Spirit Airlines, allowing us to further build upon our strong relationship with the airline, and to continue our support of their fleet expansion plans. The transaction also represents the addition of some of the most fuel-efficient new tech aircraft on the market to the ORIX Aviation portfolio," the lessor's Chief Executive James Meyler said.

The ch-aviation fleets module shows that Spirit Airlines currently operates seventy-seven A320-200Ns, alongside twenty-seven A319-100s, sixty-four A320-200s, and thirty A321-200s. The airline's ownership strategy is mixed, with 77 owned and 121 dry-leased aircraft. However, in terms of the A320neo, all but eleven aircraft are on operating leases, the ch-aviation fleets ownership module reveals.