Spirit charges customers who check-in at the ticket counter $10 per boarding pass, so avoid this . At Gate: $65. Frontier came in last place with 73.1% on-time arrival. This puts it right in the middle of the pack of airlines evaluated. Your review was spot on! If your family's needs are met by bringing a backpack and leaving the seat assignments to the luck of the computer when you check in at 24 hours before departure, that is great (and I've done that when flying solo). We have partnerships with advertisers such as American Express, Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Discover. With that out of the way, let me share my top tips for making the most of a Spirit Airlines experience. We would have ultimately gotten our Spirit Airlines tickets refunded and not been in a significantly worse position than if we had used our United miles to start with. To get a sense of how far youre traveling, use Great Circle Mapperas a guide. These are all good indications your flight will depart as scheduled. The story that is not fully told by those statistics is what happens to Spirit passengers when things go really wrong. Interestingly Spirit charges more to carry-on a bag than to check a bag. 1. 1. Make sure to input your Free Spirit number when you book flights so you can get the points. 2. Whatever, give it a try, you'll love it. In order to speed up the check-in process at airports, self-service kiosks are located in the check-in area at airports where Spirit flies. There are very few business folks, mainly leisure travelers and a lot of families. Cocktail combinations (e.g., a shot of gin and a can of tonic water) are $14 . Spirit Airlines: 9 Tips For Having A Good Experience, Introduction: The Trip Of A Lifetime To Austin. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. But since youre already saving hundreds of dollars, why not treat yo self? Spirit operates in regions based on miles traveled. If I'm flying United Airlines and my flight faces a severe delay or cancellation, they will likely have multiple other options to get me home either on their flights or another carrier within a reasonable timeframe. AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Spirit has encountered a few, on board, but nothing major. Its easy to sign-up on Spirits website, and you can manage your airline points through the portal. If you are focused on the destination and why you are flying in the first place, you may not get as flustered by being a bit squished. Each advertiser is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its ad offer details, but we attempt to verify those offer details. With a Spirit credit card, the flight could cost as little as 12,500 points each way, but without it, its at least 20,000 points each way. If you dont have the credit card, the flight will be either 10,000 or 15,000 miles each way depending on when you travel. weight allowance. . Fort Lauderdale to Panama CityThis falls into Region 1 because its under 1,249 miles. This includes baggage fees for all luggage including carry-on. Yes, Spirit is a budget-friendly airline but that doesn't mean you have to fly them as a poor college student. All Rights Reserved. When it comes to Spirits ticket prices, theyre incredibly low which travelers like but once you add in the extra costs that Spirit charges, you might have been better off booking with another airline that would have been a little more reliable. That does not sound like much fun, but that also means that . If they do, they'll move your seat there for free. Also, because Spirit doesnt do much in the way of international travel, they wont be a go-to for anyone who plans a trip across an ocean. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. If you'd like the team to help book an award ticket using your points and miles, just, Read The Rules Spirit has a great guide to all of their rules and avoiding any surprise fees called. Get to the gate early to ask if they need volunteers for the exit row. Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a Next button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. If you book a very inexpensive ticket and then pay the extra to fly in a Spirit Airlines Big Front Seat, then you have my kind of budget airline strategy. An often-forgotten casualty of the Spirit flight is in-flight drinksone of the few things airlines give away for free anymore. However, if you need seat assignments and want to pack for your family in more than just a backpack per person, my advice is to factor in those expenses when pricing out your flights. So when you pay for a carry-on youre not only saving yourself a lot of time, but also getting pre-boarding. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, our site does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. Tips and tricks to saving with Spirit. The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. Check out the entire shopping mall. Our site uses cookies. Some travelers have complained about all the fees, but if you read their termsclosely and prepare properly, you could end up flying for a very low price. However, thats not to say that Spirit doesnt have other problems. Anyway, if you care about comfort and can swing it, I cant recommend the Big Front Seat enough. If youre still unsure how much your travel might cost, go ahead and plug your trip into. For example, travel to West Palm Beach, is only available during the winter, and travel to Cabo San Lucas and Los Cabos, Mexico, is only available in the summer. Thank you so much for an honest and fair review! I'm a F/A for them. No, the cost of the BFS includes nothing but the seat. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Some of the nonstop routes only operate seasonally and some airports are only served seasonally. Spirit Airlines is the leading Ultra Low Cost Carrier in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America. The cost for trips up to 1,249 miles starts at just 2,500 miles, Off-Peak. Pay for any bags you're going to check as you . Without getting too specific, I can say Spirit passengers are generally not regular flyers or travelers. On MCO-DTW, they were $127. After he asked me "Did she need to be so mean? Finally, you can book your hotels through. However, if you book your tickets at an airport, as we did in the video below, you can avoid paying that fee altogether! You may be hurling through the air in a giant tin can, but theres no need to feel like a sardine. comes down to a few factors: where youre traveling, when youre traveling, and how youre paying, You must first calculate how far youre traveling. I think it's great that Spirit allows almost anyone to fly because of their price point, but the passengers' inexperience with flying can sometimes create a lot of stress for the flight attendants and fellow travelers. We saved about $600 versus flying United and didn't burn any of our miles in the process. DON'T fly Spirit! If you're getting on a Spirit flight, you need to bring something to entertain yourself and any traveling companions for the duration of the flight plus any potential tarmac delays. Discover short videos related to spirit airlines tips and tricks on TikTok. If youre wondering how bad Spirit Airlines is, well, its a true budget experience. If you know what you are doing its tough to beat Spirit. You can fill it up at the airport before you leave and enjoy it during your flight knowing that you saved some extra $$$. 9 They Are A No-Frills Airline, Which Can Be A Good Thing. You will encounter virtually all walks of life on a Spirit Airlines flight, and you will be very close to these strangers. Not surprisingly, our family's flights on Spirit were not luxurious, but they also not horrible by any stretch. I love Spirit as well. For example, the only airport Spirit flies to in the Pacific Northwest is Portland, Oregon. For information about flights, baggage requirements, ticket prices, and more, please click here. Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. We decided to spend the money for a couple of full-sized carry-on bags on our Spirit flight because we didn't want the stress of packing for everyone in backpacks. My daughter and son-in-law are on a Spirit flight BWI-IAH right now. You start. Toggle navigation FLIGHTS TODAY'S TOP FARES WEEKEND DEALS SEARCH FARES FROM A CITY SEARCH FARES TO A CITY EXPLORE SEE CHEAPEST MONTH TO FLY SEARCH & COMPARE FLIGHT DEALS # # 0 ; Hi, # # 0 ; By continuing to use our website, you acknowledge the use of cookies. I usually head straight to the back of the plane, and on four out of my six flights, I've had an empty row to myself. 3. Butthough the airline consistently receives poor reviews from travelers, it remains a solid option for travel. Chelsea Wiley, first of her name, Queen of the Seven Andals wait. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. M. If you pay for the Big seat do you get a bag included? Itsairline credit carddoesnt offer free checked bags (while most other airline cards do), they charge $10 to print your boarding pass at the airport, and their on-time record is less than stellar. The airline also serves 70+ other cities around the country, which is pretty sparse compared to most other airlines. Dont expect that youll find any seatback entertainment on Spirit Airlines, so make sure you have a plan for how youre going to entertain yourself. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. In order to speed up the check-in process at airports, self-service kiosks are located in the check-in area at airports where Spirit flies. They operate out of seven hubs in the U.S.: The airline also serves 70+ other cities around the country, which is pretty sparse compared to most other airlines. as soon as you start spending, including an introductory offer of up to 30,000 miles. Sometimes these are strictly enforced, other times you might get away with a minor violation. We are human and honestly do care that you have a good experience. The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. At the Atlanta airport, I found the Spirit kiosk scales varied by as much as nine pounds when weighing my same bag. As the name suggests, theyll get you a little buzzed, which makes any flight more enjoyable, right? If getting to the airport isn't a huge extra hassle, and you are booking for multiple people, then you can easily save a sizable amount of money on your airfare by just purchasing at the ticket counter. You can earn a huge amount of miles when you shop here. Even TPG himself has survived it a time or two. Our reporters create honest, accurate, and objective content to help you make decisions. A couple of years ago Spirit Airlines' on-time arrival and cancellation statistics weren't great. Spirit Airlines Travel Tips, Tricks & Hacks Babetravelling 5.24K subscribers Subscribe 13K views 10 months ago #spiritairlines #travelhack #tripreport Big Front Seats BIG FRONT SEAT . Although technically a bag like this would meet their strict size requirements, The MLS All-Star Game Is Coming To Columbus In 2024, This TV Show Themed Ohio Airbnb Is Going Viral On TikTok Right Now And Its Epic. When you book online, Spirit charges a $19.99 Passenger Usage Fee on each direction of travel. I use an app called Flightaware to do this which conveniently has an option to quickly track your inbound aircraft with the push of a button. That way you can avoid the lines at check-in, which can be really long at times. That means its only available to credit card holders. Several major airlines in the U.S., and. You must first calculate how far youre traveling. See more about our ethics policies here. The hotel booking site works with over 150,000 hotels worldwide, so youll surely be able to find a hotel wherever youre going. Quite a difference! I agree that the bulk of people's problems with the airline are due to unrealistic expectations that the airline does absolutely nothing to foster. So what happened, Allen? With Spirit, boarding last is a great way to set yourself up for a comfortable flight. to see where you can go with your miles. For a family of four flying Spirit, that is an astonishing $159.52 in avoidable fees per round trip. Spirit Airlines, the ultra-low-cost . 10 Spirit Airlines Hacks That Will Save You Money - Passport to Eden Flight Hacks 10 Spirit Airlines Hacks That Will Save You Money I didn't think Spirit Airlines hacks existed. For example, Macys offers 4 points per dollar spent. Theyre easily affordable for families which is great, but it also means that there may be a lot of kids on your flight. I think our packing strategy when flying Spirit Airlines is more efficient than when we are on a full-service airline and our elite status or co-branded credit cards basically eliminate the problem of bag fees. Spirit also offers seasonal routes, which is important to keep in mind when planning a trip. So in this post I wanted to share my top tips for making the best of the Spirit Airlines experience, as it doesnt have to be bad. It pays to check if you can make online purchases you would have made anyway through the shopping mall to get these extra points. If youre used to the finer things in life and you cant travel with less than a full-luggage set, you may want to consider a more traditional airline. Buying tickets online and over the phone comes with all sorts of extra charges. You can earn a huge amount of miles when you shop here. Spirit well and truly charges for everything for each flight, and those costs add up quickly. You get double points for every dollar you spend on the card for everyday purchases (so 2 points per dollar), and there are no blackout dates for booking award travel. What unspoken tips do you have for flying Spirit? Considering youre traveling on a budget airline with a fare that could very well cost less than youd pay for a single-day Geo Metro rental, it stands to reason that youre going to get what you paid for. 180 Dislike Share 10,890 views Nov 29, 2021 These are my 5 Quick tips you want to know when flying Spirit Airlines. This will make your life so much easier!! If it's half full, there is no reason guests can't put small items up top. Some travelers have complained about all the fees, but if you read their terms. It helped that our youngest outgrew the need for diapers immediately before the trip, but we still made room for multiple princess dresses, Those were not optional. Ive found that with Spirit, overhead-bin space isnt usually a concern. Yes, I know the airlines is cheap. However, if you book your tickets at an airport, as we did in the video below, you can avoid paying that fee altogether! Employee thought that it was fun to yell at a 12 year old. Had a few glitches with the website but it was probably on my side not theirs. The. Flying Spirit Airlines isn't all that different than traveling by bus -- other than you will be flying over highways instead of driving them. A daily Columbus email you'll actually love. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Not all of them are nice, or reasonable. You also need to bring some snacks and fill up your water bottle after clearing securityespecially if you have kid in tow. That's not right. Youre paying extra for perks such as: If you can do without, you can travel for next to nothing. That being said, for the time being Spirit is continuing to operate independently, and nothing has changed for passengers. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. With no one behind you, you can spread out with confidence that you arent taking anyones assigned seat. Avoid paying for water in the dry . And the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser. How do they keep people who didn't pay for a carry-on from putting their personal items in the overhead bins? My family has saved thousands of dollars over the years flying on Spirit Airlines when the price differential is large enough to justify the decision. Overweight bags will cost you at least $75 on top of the regular fee, while oversized bags can cost an additional $150. 18-month membership: $99.90. My parents fly Spirit without ever paying bag fees, even for short ski trips. You can find a more detailed breakdown of every city Spirit serves on. Hop in the Full Service line and buy your tickets there. There is basically unlimited overhead storage for every boarding group. shorter) flight, fees are lower? If your boarding-area observations have convinced you that your flight wont be fullan occurrence more common on Spirit than with legacy carriersyou can board last and head straight to an empty row. We always know how many guests to expect on board. No need for "gate lice" to push and shove their way to gate as there are plenty of overhead bin space. I fly Spirit from time to time and agree that overall if you know the rules then it's a pleasant experience. The Definitive Guide to Gaming Spirit. A specific example of when Spirit Airlines recently made sense for our family was when we were planning a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando. Prices found and verified on June 29, 2021. We may need to do a little post-flight yoga to recover from the tiny seats, but otherwise, Spirit gets us where we need to be virtually the same as everyone else. Here are some tips to help you book with Spirit: 1. Of course all of this assumes that youre not just taking a personal item, which is the real way to score a deal flying Spirit. .more .more 49 Here's a big. The standard cost for up to 1,249 miles is 10,000 points. According to Forbes, just 65.3% of Spirits flights were on time back in 2016. When you book online, Spirit charges a $19.99 Passenger Usage Fee on each direction of travel. Roll With The Punches Delays and cancellations happen every day with mainline and low-cost carriers. If you have a credit card and travel during an off peak time, the flight is just 2,500 points each way. Spirit's most recent on-time arrival rate was 80.8%, ahead of United, American, Southwest, Frontier and JetBlue. Using the tips above, I have a pleasant enough domestic-flying experience when my goal is simply to get from A to B in the most efficient and affordable manner possible. Buy Your Ticket At The Airport Buying your Spirit ticket at the airport counter can reduce the fees you pay online by as much as $20 per person, per leg. They will wear their ski jackets on the plane, but they make it work in backpacks. The trick is to know exactly what Spirit is charging you for each piece of your trip the seat, the bag, the carry-on, etc. Check out the entire shopping mallhere to see what kind of products you can purchase. Spirit Airlines is a good deal if you live near an airport they serve and you're a savvy . The airline has not had any crashes or any major incidents. Track Your Inbound Flight A common complaint about Spirit Airlines has been their poor on-time performance and inability to quickly rebook passengers when something goes wrong. Check The Scales Spirit has strict rules about the size and weight of checked baggage. Spirit Airlines has some really great, happy, fun employees. Flight Attendants and Buzzballz Are Your Friends Because I travel often and witness a lot of fellow passengers and airport crowds, it's hard not to make a few generalizations about Spirit passengers compared to the run-of-the-mill, legacy-airline customer. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); My son got an error message when he tried to self check his bag, so he had to go to the counter. However, if you do your homework before flying, you could potentially have a really good experience with them. The site will stipulate how many miles youll earn, which varies by hotel. Spirit operates in regions based on miles traveled. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. Travelers who are careful with booking generally have a better experience. I recently completed my third round-trip itinerary on low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines and decided it was time to collate all of my observations on flying the discount carrier in one spot. Review: Spirit Airlines A321 Big Front Seat (FLL-AUS), Southwest Airlines Unique Boarding Process Explained, Review: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 (AUS-FLL), Pay for a carry-on rather than a checked bag, Plan for how youre going to entertain yourself, Consider buying your ticket at the airport, the price premium has increased significantly, See this post for more details on when its cheaper to buy Spirit tickets at the airport, Free Spirit is Spirit Airlines loyalty program, Spirit Shareholders Approve JetBlue Merger, Spirit Airlines Never-Ending Operational Meltdown, Spirit Airlines Faces (Fair?) It isn't enforced unless there was a very very rare occasion where bins were filling up. For a family of four flying Spirit, that is an astonishing $159.52 in avoidable fees per round trip. All airlines are required to follow FAA regulations, including Spirit. There is no food provided by the airline, so youll want to bring your own snacks for the trip. If you are taking a quick trip that is light on luggage and you can rough it for a few hours, then this airline is perfect. Given how tight Spirit Airlines seats otherwise are, reserving one of these seats is guaranteed to make your flight a lot more comfortable. Spirit Airlines was the most complained-about US carrier in April, followed by American Airlines, amid flight cancellations and delays. Bring Your Own Water. Even when factoring in all the fees that we decided to pay (including the Big Front Seats on the outbound), our tickets on Spirit rang in at about half of what United wanted for the same route and same peak summer travel dates. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Make sure that your phone, tablet, or laptop are fully charged or bring your own charging device because the only in-flight entertainment youll experience will be watching the screaming children around you or listening in while the old guy in the back prays to every god under the sun. Its not enforced so i always put my personal item above. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact what ads and links appear on our site, and how, where, and in what order ads and links appear. Play within the rules and pack smartly to save as much money as possible. My advice to families flying Spirit is to not necessarily to try and avoid all of the fees, but rather to research them, plan for them and include them in your budget. Spirit Airlines and all of the ultra low-cost carriers make a sizable chunk of their revenue off of fees. The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered. According to the in flight announcement, they are America's fastest growing airline. Since the odds are not entirely in your favor, its best to plan ahead. This is barebones travel at its most extreme, with guests wracking up extra costs for everything from luggage to onboard water. With Atlanta (ATL) as my home airport, Spirit's route network continues to improve, providing an affordable alternative to Delta. Part 3: Tips and Tricks. However, if full, we monitor the cabins and remind guests with small bags to place under seats. BFS upgrade price was more expensive than Lucky's quote as I remember having seen $80 last year for a midcon. But. Have a Baggage Strategy These days, most airlines charge you for checking baggage so you might be inclined to try and avoid those fees by carrying your luggage on board. By charging for carry-on's, the Spirit boarding experience is actually quite pleasant. Thankfully, there are solutions. Before & During Online Check-In: $9 Fare Club - $36-$41. Bring your empty bottle, fill it up in terminal, and bring on your snacks and you'll have a better experience than half a cup of soda/water and a mini bag of pretzels. Believe it or not, even with a budget airline, you can still save even more money if you know the tips and tricks. Spirit Airlines couples its cut-rate fares with dozens of fees, including charging for checked and carry-on luggage . 1. On the flip side, if factoring in the fees eliminates the majority of the cost savings compared to the full-service air carriers, then perhaps this isn't the right trip to book with Spirit. While Spirit often gets a bad rap, I think that largely comes down to people having unrealistic expectations. Free Spirit members can only access Standard and Peak prices. But if you have a flexible schedule, the amount of money you can save with a cheap flight can help you keep yourself sane as you play your 25th round of Candy Crush in a row sitting outside of an airport Starbucks. If you can, the best way to buy your flights through Spirit is to go to the counter at the airline. Its. Let's take a look at Spirit Airlines for a minute. Do the math when shopping for tickets. This page may include: credit card ads that we may be paid for (advertiser listing); and general information about credit card products (editorial content). Also, anyone who pays for a carry-on bag automatically gets to board with the first zone, meaning youll be among the first to board (if that matters to you). Flight redemptions start at 2,500 miles, and the card gives you Zone 2 priority boarding on all flights. Back in the day this was the deal of the century, as a Big Front Seat consistently cost maybe $30-50 extra. The hotel booking site works with over 150,000 hotels worldwide, so youll surely be able to find a hotel wherever youre going. Though Spirit Airlines is often panned for its delays, according to the Department of Travels 2019 report, flights were on time 79.5% of the time. And thats just how we like it! that caused plane groundings, however, in each situation, the planes were able to land safely. Our family's approach to award travel is to balance the occasional fancy award redemption in lie-flat seats with some more spartan rides on ultra low-cost carriers, such as Spirit Airlines when the fares and flight times point to that being the best decision. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. We are an independent publisher. Flight redemptions start at 2,500 miles, and the card gives you Zone 2 priority boarding on all flights. Pack Carefully Personal items, carry-on bags and checked bags each have dimensions and weight limits. If you live anywhere else in that corner of the country, this is probably not an airline in which youll want to invest. Detroit to Las VegasThis falls into Region 3. Introduction to Spirit Airlines Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost carrier headquartered in Miramar, Florida. Delta chalks up its success in this area to making their voluntary denied boarding options as attractive as possible. Meanwhile if youre traveling with more stuff than you can reasonably fit in a carry-on, checking a bag is your best bet. Courtesy United Pay for more legroom If none of these options work out, you aren't doomed to a cramped seat near the lavatory at the back of the plane. https://www.instagram.com/p/B8192ADJOXH/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link. Watch popular content from the following creators: Blogionista Travels(@blogionistatravels), Alana (@alanainparadise), zacharyburrabel(@zacharyburrabel), Jescie Hollenczer(@planyourbesttripever), Michelle G - Luxury Travel(@laxtoluxury), CNikky(@cnikkyblog), Kaley Reed(@kaleyreed_), SSLTravel(@ssltravel), Kevine . Tip 2: See Tip 1. Heres our full advertising policy: How we make money. Play around with the travel time and cities, if youre flexible, to get the most out of your miles. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Board Last I almost always board flights last as I have no desire to sit on a plane for an extra thirty minutes in addition to taxi and flight time. Part 2: In-Depth Anatomy of Booking a Spirit Award Flight and I'm Going to #TBEX The Definitive Guide to Gaming Spirit. And yes. Thats why I recommend trying to board last, rather than first: The concept of booking a ticket at the airport rather than online is virtually unheard of nowadays, at least in the United States. though the airline consistently receives poor reviews from travelers, it remains a solid option for travel. Since last year, Spirit Airlines has been slowly moving from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1 at LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Examples include theHilton Honors American Express Aspire Card(up to $250 airline fee credit) and The Platinum Card from American Express(up to $200 airline fee credit). I complied but asked the crew member the hypothetical since carry-on bags are free and can go in the overhead bin, don't I have a space equal to that to use in the overhead? The staff on the ground and in the air are cheerful and helpful and make the time pass quickly while commuting. From LGA, Spirit will offer the following . That's 35.6 x 45.7 x 20.3 cm for metric . Considering youre traveling on a budget airline with a fare that could very well cost less than youd pay for a single-day Geo Metro rental, it stands to reason that youre going to get what you paid for. Spirit is great for non-stops. Spirits frequent flyer program is called Free Spirit. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Also, because Spirit doesnt do much in the way of international travel, they wont be a go-to for anyone who plans a trip across an ocean.