Spirit Airlines — Will we regret this?

[Anonymous]

Booking a last-minute trip. Spirit will be $200-$500 cheaper (depending on the time we leave) than the mainline carriers (price is INCLUDING carry-on and seat selection on Spirit), with better flight times. We’ve flown them before but got spoiled by the bigger brands. I know they are no frills, and I guess for this spontaneous trip that’s fine. It’s just been 5-ish years since we’ve flown them and I just wonder if they’ve gotten worse.

FWIW, if we choose to fly Spirit, we could parlay our savings into an extra day, leaving after work the day before, waking up at our destination for essentially an extra day.

I’d you’ve flown them recently, what are your thoughts?

[Anonymous]

As long as you know what you are getting, they aren't any worse than other airlines. We've flown them several times and it's fine.

[Anonymous]

Where are you flying to and from and how tight is your time schedule? Makes all the difference. BWI to Boston, sure. DCA to LAX, absolutely but only if you have a couple days flexibility.

[Anonymous]

For a direct flight on a route where they run a lot of flights a day, I'd do it. United coach isn't exactly comfortable now either

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a direct flight on a route where they run a lot of flights a day, I'd do it. United coach isn't exactly comfortable now either

This is key— if your flight gets cancelled you are at more risk with spirit but if you have alternatives and you know what you are getting that’s fine

[Anonymous]

We flew to LA on Spirit last year from BWI and it was miserable ONLY because they had one person behind the counter dealing with checking baggage. The line when all the way down a very long hall. The looks on people's faces when they turned the corner and saw the line was amazing. I thought we were going to miss our flight but we just made it. And yes, the seats are very hard and uncomfortable, but I guess that's what you get for being cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you flying to and from and how tight is your time schedule? Makes all the difference. BWI to Boston, sure. DCA to LAX, absolutely but only if you have a couple days flexibility.

From a base to a base, Detroit to Orlando

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We flew to LA on Spirit last year from BWI and it was miserable ONLY because they had one person behind the counter dealing with checking baggage. The line when all the way down a very long hall. The looks on people's faces when they turned the corner and saw the line was amazing. I thought we were going to miss our flight but we just made it. And yes, the seats are very hard and uncomfortable, but I guess that's what you get for being cheap.

We don’t check bags, so no worries there. I don’t recall the seats being that horrible, I know they are super skinny and thin, but maybe it was the excitement. I think I’d rather be a little uncomfortable for an extra vacation day, but I want to be sure!

[Anonymous]

Just hope your flight isn't delayed or canceled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just hope your flight isn't delayed or canceled.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We flew to LA on Spirit last year from BWI and it was miserable ONLY because they had one person behind the counter dealing with checking baggage. The line when all the way down a very long hall. The looks on people's faces when they turned the corner and saw the line was amazing. I thought we were going to miss our flight but we just made it. And yes, the seats are very hard and uncomfortable, but I guess that's what you get for being cheap.

We don’t check bags, so no worries there. I don’t recall the seats being that horrible, I know they are super skinny and thin, but maybe it was the excitement. I think I’d rather be a little uncomfortable for an extra vacation day, but I want to be sure!

Don't they charge for carry on luggage too? Just factor all that in to your final pricing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We flew to LA on Spirit last year from BWI and it was miserable ONLY because they had one person behind the counter dealing with checking baggage. The line when all the way down a very long hall. The looks on people's faces when they turned the corner and saw the line was amazing. I thought we were going to miss our flight but we just made it. And yes, the seats are very hard and uncomfortable, but I guess that's what you get for being cheap.

As I said in the OP, the price I listed includes carryon.
We don’t check bags, so no worries there. I don’t recall the seats being that horrible, I know they are super skinny and thin, but maybe it was the excitement. I think I’d rather be a little uncomfortable for an extra vacation day, but I want to be sure!

Don't they charge for carry on luggage too? Just factor all that in to your final pricing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We flew to LA on Spirit last year from BWI and it was miserable ONLY because they had one person behind the counter dealing with checking baggage. The line when all the way down a very long hall. The looks on people's faces when they turned the corner and saw the line was amazing. I thought we were going to miss our flight but we just made it. And yes, the seats are very hard and uncomfortable, but I guess that's what you get for being cheap.

We don’t check bags, so no worries there. I don’t recall the seats being that horrible, I know they are super skinny and thin, but maybe it was the excitement. I think I’d rather be a little uncomfortable for an extra vacation day, but I want to be sure!

Don't they charge for carry on luggage too? Just factor all that in to your final pricing.

As I said in the OP, the price I listed includes carryon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are you flying to and from and how tight is your time schedule? Makes all the difference. BWI to Boston, sure. DCA to LAX, absolutely but only if you have a couple days flexibility.

From a base to a base, Detroit to Orlando

For that flight, I would have no issues taking Spirit, for the reasons others have stated- it's not that long a flight, and there are plenty of other options on Spirit if issues develop.

[Anonymous]

We took RDU - MIA roundtrip earlier this year for the first time and it was fine, although certainly no frills. Planes were on time and clean enough. Seats were thin and uncomfortable. We paid to choose our seats and board first w/carryons, not sure I would do it any other way. Would not want to be on it for a long haul though!