I have to admit, I love Spirt Airlines. For some of us, it perfectly fills the gap left by the larger, major airlines….the extreme budget flyer. I’m so tired of people complaining about Spirit Airlines. Their business model is for the budget traveler and they provide options and extras you can buy if you choose. The airline is catering to a specific type of traveler and their model is different than other airlines. That’s it. I really don’t understand why people have so much hate for this airline!! This airline has different rules… It’s unfair to compare them to other airlines because they cater to a different type of traveler. If if you can make their rules work for you, then you will save money on travel.
Here are some tips for how to get the cheapest fare.
1. Buy your ticket at the airport for the cheapest fare
Actually, I don’t know anyone who really does this. Unless you fly a lot and are already at the airport or if you live close and friends and family can drop you off, I’m not sure this is a good option for most people. However, if you can make it work, you can save up to $16.99 per flight by purchasing your tickets at the airport.
2. Let Spirit assign you a seat
Some people are so particular about their seat. Drives me batty. Like most, I have a preference (Aisle) but it’s not a big deal if I have a window or middle seat. I’ve sat in the middle seat of a 15 hour flight to Hong Kong, which wasn’t ideal but I got use to it and it was fine. I guess where I sit is no big deal anymore, especially on a shorter flights. If you insist on choosing a seat, you will pay between $1-$250 to select your seat.
3. Check-in online before your flight
I think most people check in online nowadays anyway so no big deal. Make sure you print or have your boarding pass on your phone before you get to the airport. Spirit charges between $2-$10 to print a boarding pass at the airport. (Note that Spirit still is not accepting mobile boarding passes so be sure to have a hardcopy)
Also, if you are traveling and don’t have access to a printer just check-in online and then reprint your boarding pass when you get to the airport. I’ve done this a few times and have NOT been charged.
4. Bring your own water and snacks
It surprises me how many people don’t do this. Plane food/beverages is not good (and I feel in some cases quite unsanitary). I usually bring a couple energy bars and then bring a reusable water bottle with me that I fill up with water after I pass through security. Don’t buy water…..it’s expensive. The best option is to find a filtered water dispenser just above a drinking fountain that is made for water bottles. Many airports (and work offices) have this now.
Other airlines will offer free snacks and a beverage but you’re paying in your ticket price. Why would I want to pay more in my airfare for the bad snacks I never eat anyway? I love that Spirit charges for food rather than build it into the ticket price. Seriously, those peanuts, 100-calorie snack packs and soda you get on other airlines are probably boosting your ticket price by at least $15 bucks. I don’t know about you but I’d rather save that money.
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5. Bring exactly ONE bag that is no more than 16″ X 14″ X 12″ (Personal size item) ***NOTE this size requirement is changing to 18″ x “14” x”8″ in April 2017***
Carry on luggage with Spirit is NOT FREE. Repeat. Carry on luggage with Spirit is NOT FREE. There are 3 categories of luggage: personal, carry-on, and checked-in. You can only carry one smaller, personal size item for free. Everything else costs money. I think most people hate this Spirit rule because all other airlines allow a free carry on bag.
Admittedly, this was a harder one for me initially to get use to. But I had been doing some minimalist packing for travel for a few years now and this just helped me be more efficient with packing than I was previously. Stick with soft sided bags like backpacks or duffel bags because as long as you don’t overstuff it, you can squish it into the sizer by the gate. The hardest thing is learning to pack light, especially if you are accustomed to bringing a lot on your trips.
If you must bring a carry-on or have a checked-in bag, know that Spirit charges a varying amount for that bag depending on when you pay the fee. The cheapest is to buy it when you buy your ticket. The price gets more expensive if pay for it at the airport and more expensive still if you pay at the gate.
I’ve been testing a few bags that fit the personal size requirement for Spirit Airlines and will post a review soon…
6. Set the right expectation before you fly
This one is not quite a tip for saving money but just a general tip. Know in advance what you are getting yourself into so you can have the right expectations. Don’t have the same expectations based on your experience on other major airlines. Spirit is a great airline to get you from point A to point B safely and with no frills. Don’t be shocked when you find out that the seats don’t recline and on some flights you will not have a full tray table. You also don’t get the radio on the armrest and most flights don’t have WiFi or power ports under your seat. This is no frills flying.
The bottom line when you travel with Spirit Airlines is to understand that this airline is for the extreme budget traveler. If you are not a budget traveler and get annoyed if they don’t give you a free soda on you flight, then this probably isn’t the airline for you. However, if you love cheap tickets and are willing to concede on a few things like packing light, printing your own boarding pass, random seats and bringing your own snacks, then Spirit can be a great way to save money on travel.
After about 16 flights with Spirit Airlines, I’m a happy customer. While they DO have a lot of insane, last minute gate changes (much more than most), I almost always get to my destination on time. Hard to ask for more than a cheap flight that safely gets me to my destination on time.
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