We study the large time behavior of the survival probability $\mathbb{P}_x\left(τ_D>t\right)$ for symmetric jump processes in unbounded domains with a positive bottom of the spectrum. We prove asymptotic upper and lower bounds with explicit constants in terms of the bottom of the spectrum $λ(D)$. Our main result applies to symmetric jump processes in general metric measure spaces. For $α$-stable processes in unbounded uniformly $C^{1,1}$ domains, our results provide a probabilistic interpretation and an equivalent geometric condition for $λ(D)>0$. In the case of increasing horn-shaped domains, the exponential rate of decay for the survival probability is sharp. We also present examples of unbounded domains where our results apply.