Is Spirit Airlines Worth It?

Oh Spirit Airlines. Spirit corporate refers to the company as a budget airline. Customers would rather call it “stingy”. With Spirit you pretty much pay for everything. ‘Complimentary’ isn’t in their vocabulary. The standard seats are small (28 inches) and the service is often tardy. But why do so many people fly the low cost carrier?

Well, it’s damn cheap. Even with all the added fees it can still be less expensive than other airlines. Yes, even though they do charge for carry-on luggage. $35, in fact, if you’re not a $9 Club member. In fact, if you know what you’re getting into, Spirit can be a good option. Many of negative reviews of Spirit revolve around the fact that passengers feel “nickel and dimed”. However, even a cursory look at their website reveals their operating strategy. They hide little when it comes to the fees you’ll pay, even detailing that it’ll cost extra for refreshments in flight.

Some people I’ve talked to actually prefer Spirit. It’s mainly because of the price. You get quite a discount from the $9 fare club, even on baggage fees. The discounted fares offered to members also extends to people traveling in your party. So if you and your significant other travel together frequently, as long as they are on the booking, they’ll receive the discount as well. The $9 fare club costs $59.95 per year.

Terry, you may remember him from our behind the scenes episode on hotel security, has another valid reason for preferring Spirit:

The economy seats are quite small, but Spirit lets you pick your own seats. For an extra $25, I pay for the big seats up front. They’re first class seats, but not labeled as such. So I basically get a first class upgrade for $50 round trip.

This is a good point. You can, and I usually do, end up buying a snack and bottle of water at the airport anyway. If you bring it on the plane, there’s no need to purchase it in the air. Sure, it’s not a true first class experience and they won’t be pouring you complimentary champagne, but the secured larger seat is worth $25 to me.

There are workarounds to maximize your budget with Spirit. Flying in parties of two or more is best. Not only does this compound the savings of the base, fare rates, but it also gives you the opportunity to consolidate baggage, which can save quite a bit of money.

Is Spirit worth the hassle? That depends on your needs. Many are frustrated by the cost cutting nature of the airline. Others feel that if you know what you’re getting into, the money saved is worth it.

What are your thoughts? Have you traveled with Spirit?

Feature image courtesy of Spirit Airlines