The sudden collapse of Silver Airways on June 11, 2025, caught passengers and industry watchers off guard when the Fort Lauderdale carrier posted an abrupt message on its website telling customers they are immediately ceasing operations. The regional airline, which had connected Florida cities with Caribbean and Bahamian destinations for 14 years, could only continue to survive nearly six months after entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Thousands of travelers discovered their summer vacation plans were in jeopardy when the airline posted its closure announcement Wednesday morning. Silver Airways had been operating routes to vacation hotspots including Nassau, Bimini, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten, along with domestic flights to Tampa, Key West, Tallahassee, and Pensacola.
“We regret to inform you that we are ceasing operations as of today, June 11, 2025,” the company stated on social media. The airline explained that its attempted sale to another airline holding company fell through when the buyer decided against continuing Silver’s route network.
The timing couldn’t have been worse for affected passengers. “Airline bankruptcies are sadly not uncommon, but airlines shutting down are rare,” said Henry Harteveldt, an analyst with Atmosphere Research Group, in an interview with Fox 13 News. “For an airline to shut down during the peak summer season is very unusual.”
The carrier’s financial troubles weren’t new. Drew Dawson, a bankruptcy law professor at the University of Miami, observed that Silver Airways had “a long history of going in and out of bankruptcy” with a fleet that “just kept getting smaller” during restructuring attempts. The airline had operated on razor-thin profit margins in an unforgiving industry where minor setbacks could trigger major consequences.
Just months before its demise, Silver Airways had celebrated its 13th anniversary in December 2024 with an Instagram post declaring, “Here’s to 13 years of connecting communities, creating memories, and flying forward into an exciting future together.” Days later, the company announced its Chapter 11 filing, assuring customers that the move would help build a “stronger future” and that tickets remained valid.
The airline had marketed itself as offering “modern, state-of-the-art aircraft with reliable, fuel-efficient turboprop engines” and promoted the comfort of having no middle seats on its flights. These selling points weren’t enough to overcome the financial pressures that ultimately grounded the carrier permanently.
For stranded passengers seeking refunds, Silver Airways directed them to contact their credit card companies or travel agencies. “All credit card purchases should be refunded through your credit card company or your travel agency,” the airline stated in its shutdown notice.
The collapse adds Silver Airways to the list of regional carriers that have struggled to survive in an increasingly competitive airline industry. With major vacation destinations now lacking direct service from several Florida cities, travelers will need to seek alternatives through larger carriers or accept connecting flights for routes that Silver Airways once served directly.