I recently took a one-day trip to Disney World. To save as much money as possible, I flew from New York to Orlando and back in one day so I wouldn’t have to pay for hotels — and I chose to fly Spirit Airlines.
In a time when airfare is seemingly getting more expensive, I couldn’t resist trying out an ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) such as Spirit for the first time.
But even though demand has remained high and ticket prices aren’t getting any lower, budget airlines are struggling to turn a profit.
Spirit alone lost $193 million from April through June of this year, according to the company’s Q2 earnings release — even though, as CEO Ted Christie said, “Summer demand remains robust and load factors have been strong.”
To combat this, Spirit is changing the way it sells tickets starting August 16, for flights taking off on August 27
“Our new travel options range from elevated to economical to meet the needs of all travelers,” Spirit told Business Insider in a statement.
Instead of choosing every extra amenity — such as snacks, WiFi, and extra legroom — à la carte, travelers will now have to pick between tiers of extras bundled together, with names such as Go, Go Savvy, Go Comfy, and Go Big. The problem is that customers have already indicated they’re annoyed by fees and aren’t paying for extras.
I’ve never flown Spirit or any low-cost carrier in the US before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I now understand why Spirit is making this change … but I suspect some passengers might not like it.
Spirit Airlines is the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in North America and the seventh-largest passenger carrier overall in North America.
An ultra-low-cost carrier, or ULCC, is best described as offering a no-frills flying experience. Typically, everything costs extra, from a carry-on bag to picking your seat to refreshments on board. The seats can be thinner and usually do not have seatback TVs.
While some people may look down on ULCCs such as Spirit or Frontier, they are quite popular. According to a CNBC report from 2023, budget airlines make up almost one-third of air traffic around the world.
Spirit Airlines, specifically, has dedicated fans around the US. And even though all flights are actually getting cheaper, the perception has been the opposite. Why? Because of so-called junk fees — the fees that have been baked into Spirit’s costs from the beginning.
Now, to compete with other airlines and raise profits, Spirit is introducing a tier system starting in mid-August. I took one of the last flights under the old system on July 30.
I took a 24-hour trip to Disney World from New York City. To cut costs as much as possible, I decided to fly Spirit for $236 round-trip.
Due to the nature of my trip — I was visiting Disney World for just one day for work — I only booked my trip a couple weeks in advance.
Using Google Flights, I saw that other comparable itineraries (i.e., leaving at 6 a.m. and returning at some point after 8 p.m. the same day) cost over $300, at the least.
Some routes that Spirit offers, though, can be as cheap as $62 from NYC airports.
I flew on July 30, which is actually two weeks after I was supposed to go. When I woke up on July 16 to get on my 6 a.m. flight, I was greeted with the news that my flight was canceled due to an “air traffic control decision related to a weather issue.”
I was anticipating that rebooking my trip would be difficult and perhaps expensive. Instead, it was quite easy. Spirit refunded me for my canceled flight and my flight back home to NYC, which I would no longer be able to take. I also received a $100 voucher for the inconvenience. I then rebooked the same flights, just two weeks later.
The Spirit terminal at LaGuardia Airport is Terminal A. It’s the only airline at this terminal.
Spirit moved to Terminal A, the Historic Marine Air Terminal, in 2022. An airline press release called it “one of the most convenient locations” at the airport, and I’d have to agree.
The parking lot was directly across the street from the terminal, which saved us time.
From experience, I know that parking lots or garages can be a significant walk to the terminal.
I was prepared to give myself at least 15 minutes to get from my car to Terminal A, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that I could exit my car and be at the security line in 5 minutes.
I could also see the trademark bright-yellow planes queuing up on the tarmac.
Spirit rebranded to the yellow-and-black planes in 2014.
“The yellow makes the plane very distinctive, almost like a taxi cab,” a travel industry analyst told USA Today at the time.
As I could see a few classic New York taxis right next to the plane, I had to agree.
As I walked into the terminal, I was guided by the bright-yellow signs.
Everywhere I turned I noticed Spirit’s signs. One display was the typical spot where you can measure if your bags fit.
I heard a Spirit employee warn another traveler that if their personal item was deemed too large to fit under the seat in front of them on the plane, they’d have to pay $79 to place it in the overhead bin — my first experience of additional fees charged by the airline.
The terminal was organized, with signs directing passengers every step of the way.
Since there was only one airline in the entire building, it wasn’t too crowded.
One of the amenities available to purchase was the Big Front Seat.
The Big Front Seats — Spirit’s closest thing to business class — have 11 inches more legroom than other seats on the plane, and they are guaranteed not to be a middle seat.
The cost of upgrading to a Big Front Seat at the airport for this flight was $16.
After the new system goes into effect, the Big Front Seats will only be available for people who choose the most expensive tier, Go Big.
There were three security lines to choose from. You could pay more to get through quicker.
First, there was the normal security line to the left.
In the middle, there was a ‘”shortcut security line,” an expedited line that costs between $7.99 and $20 to access. All of Spirit’s extra services use dynamic pricing, which is why prices fluctuate up and down depending on demand.
Starting August 27, priority check-in will be included with the Go Big tier, and not available to anyone else.
On the right was the line for those with TSA PreCheck, which I have.
I was given two pieces of paper at the PreCheck line, which I’d never experienced before.
First, I got this piece of paper reminding me to get a Real ID, a new enhanced driver’s license.
Then, I also got a slip of laminated paper that declared I had TSA PreCheck and was allowed to be in the line. No one asked to see it, and I was told to return it once I was through security.
I arrived at the airport at 4:24 a.m. and was through security at 4:36 a.m. Even with how full my flight was, I found the boarding process to be quite organized.
The area with the gates was fine, if a little outdated. The bright-yellow signs everywhere were starting to grate a bit at 4:30 a.m. But there was a Dunkin’ and enough chairs so I could sit, so I couldn’t complain too much.
I was in boarding group three. Another service Spirit allows you to purchase is a shortcut boarding time, meaning you get on early. That costs between $7.99 and $9.99 — dynamic pricing strikes again.
I assume it’s to ensure that if you have a carry-on bag, there is space in the overhead bin. As I was only bringing a personal item on board, I didn’t feel the need to get on the plane early.
Shortcut boarding will be included with the Go Comfy and Go Big tiers. Go Savvy customers are the next group, and Go customers will be the final ones aboard.
Here’s my seat: 18C. I paid extra for an aisle seat.
Since I was flying with my mom, we wanted to make sure we were sitting together. So we purchased two seats next to each other for $21 each, both ways.
Seat selection starts at $5 and then increases depending on the seat. My aisle seat was a bit more.
On the Go level, you still have to pay to choose a seat. Go Savvy customers will have the option to choose a standard seat, Go Comfy customers will get a guaranteed window or aisle seat, and Go Big customers will be placed in a Big Front Seat.
Since I didn’t have a TV to distract me, I actually listened to the pre-boarding announcements, which were given in both English and Spanish. I appreciated this, as 13% of the US population speaks Spanish, according to a 2021 Forbes report.
I also perused the menu before we took off. Everything, even water, cost extra.
I knew that snacks weren’t included in my airfare, but I was pretty surprised to see that not even water was free on the flight. I tend to travel with my own water bottle, so it didn’t affect me, but if I had been on a longer flight without my water bottle, I would’ve been annoyed to pay for it.
Under the new system, Go Comfy and Go Big customers get a snack and a drink included. Customers at the lower two levels will still have to pay.
You also had to pay for WiFi — either a cheaper level at $16 for just browsing or another couple of dollars to stream videos. In the future, Go Big customers will get WiFi included with their ticket.
I felt a bit cramped, but not much more than I do on any other flight.
I have long legs, so I feel cramped on almost any flight. Nothing about the Spirit seats felt much smaller. They were also clearly thinner and less cushioned than other airline seats I’ve been in, but on such a short flight, I didn’t mind.
What did bother me on the way home, though, was that the seats don’t recline at all. After my very long day, it would’ve been nice to lie back a bit and sleep on the plane.
On the way there, I was way too antsy to sleep, so the lack of reclining didn’t really register to me.
My flight home was delayed by around 30 minutes, which balanced out the 36 minutes I gained when my flight landed early that morning.
I left Disney World at around 6:45 p.m., right as it began raining heavily — forget a delay, I was worried my flight would be canceled entirely.
My flight was supposed to depart at 8:45 p.m., but we didn’t get off the ground until 9:20 p.m. That’s nothing compared to some of the delays I’ve experienced this summer.
I’d definitely fly Spirit again, but only for shorter flights.
If I’m going anywhere on the East Coast or less than three hours away, I’d 100% look into flying Spirit again, as long as I could fit everything into a bag that fits under the seat. That way, I’d still qualify for the new cheapest tier, Go.
Not being able to recline my seat didn’t bother me until I was exhausted after one of the longest days of my life, which is not exactly typical flying circumstances.
Since I travel with a water bottle and snacks, it also didn’t bother me that everything else was extra. I also barely use the built-in TVs on a plane and instead prefer to either read or use my iPad to watch films.
I anticipate that some customers might not like the new bundle system.
While I didn’t fly with a ticket under the new system, I’m unsure how it will be received by travelers.
In my opinion, one of the best things about Spirit is that you can pick and choose the added amenities you like, depending on your journey and needs. Now, I wonder if people may feel forced into buying a higher tier that comes with way more — and ultimately, more expensive — perks that not everyone would typically opt for, like a checked bag and a pre-selected non-middle seat.
In a statement, Spirit told Business Insider, “While we have these new premium selections, we’re also offering Go, where our Guests will still have the flexibility to purchase any of the following options: checked bags, standard seat selection, WiFi, and snacks and beverages.
“Spirit always has been, and always will be, about delivering value to travelers who prefer to save on their flights.”
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience with the airline. If I were taking a trip that required a longer flight, I would probably still spring for an airline with nicer seats and included meals.
But for a quick trip where I can make do with the basic Go tier, Spirit is now my go-to airline.
The post I flew Spirit Airlines for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised, but the new ticket system gives me pause. appeared first on Business Insider.
