A logo of low cost carrier Spirit Airlines is pictured on an Airbus plane in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, November 6, 2018.
A logo of low cost carrier Spirit Airlines is pictured on an Airbus plane in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, November 6, 2018. Reuters / REGIS DUVIGNAU

Spirit Airlines on Tuesday said it received an unsolicited offer from JetBlue Airways for about $3.6 billion, potentially snarling merger plans between Frontier Group Holdings and Spirit.

Shares of Spirit rose 22%, their highest level since mid-February. Airline stocks have suffered as air travel fell-off dramatically during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Sprit's 52-week high of $39.19 is $6 above the reported offer from JetBlue of $33 per share.

Earlier, the New York Times reported the $33 a share JetBlue offer, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

Spirit declined to comment beyond a written statement. Frontier and JetBlue, the sixth largest U.S airline, did not immediately comment. The U.S. Justice Department, which would review any merger proposal, declined to comment.