Spirit Airlines launches new inflight trading cards

There’s a new way to celebrate the spirit of travel the next time you fly Spirit Airlines.

Spirit just launched a brand-new line of trading cards, which passengers can collect every time they travel with the ultra-low-cost carrier.

The complete set features six cards, celebrating various aircraft from Spirit’s past and current fleet: the Airbus A319, A320 and A321, plus the newer A320neo and A321neo. Spirit’s first set of trading cards is sponsored, fittingly, by Airbus, and showcases Spirit’s historical liveries as well as its current distinct yellow hue.

Don’t bother trying to buy a set of these cards, however: The only way to get them is to fly on Spirit, ask the pilots for a card during either boarding or deplaning, and hope that one of the aviators has some on hand (of course, it’s likely that the cards will start popping up on eBay as more people collect them).

Spirit is the latest airline to embrace the trading card craze after social media spotlighted a mostly unwritten, quasi-secret program that other airlines like Delta Air Lines have had in place for years for those “in the know.” Southwest Airlines similarly launched its own trading card line this year.

Spirit’s embrace of the fun program is notable as the airline seeks to pivot away — at least partially — from its past model and reputation of offering low fares and low service, to more of a tiered product which brings elements of premium service into the mix. It also comes as the airline has struggled to find stable financial footing — the airline is in the midst of its second bankruptcy in two years, and as recently as two months ago faced speculation surrounding the possibility of imminent insolvency.

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For now, though, the trading cards seem to be another sign of Spirit trying to boost its brand and join its competitor airlines — in spirit, at least.

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