The Justice Department on Tuesday filed an antitrust lawsuit to block JetBlue's planned $3.8 billion deal to take over Spirit Airlines. 

The merger would increase ticket prices and decrease travelers' options, the Justice Department said, Axios reported.

JetBlue announced the offer to purchase Spirit in July, and Spirit's shareholders approved the deal in October. 

If the deal goes through, JetBlue would become the fifth-largest domestic airline in the United States.