Confession: I Really Like Flying Spirit Airlines

Most of my adult traveling days have been spent flying in premium cabins either through upgrades or buying First or Business Class tickets. I know as a travel blogger that I’m supposed to aspire to Lufthansa First Class and Singapore Suites. I do that, but I also look for comfortable experiences that don’t cost a ton of points or a slew of cash. I flew Spirit Airlines for the first time last year and wasn’t sure what to expect after hearing and writing about so many horror stories. To my surprise, I’ve found Spirit to be an overall positive experience and I keep flying them when the schedule and price work to my advantage.

My Flights Are On Time (If Not Early)

To date, I have taken nine flights on Spirit Airlines with eight more booked in the next two months. Almost every single one was on time and the last two were over 30 minutes early. I find the restrictions on carry-on bags make the flights board much faster. This in turn means we often leave the gate early and then arrive before our scheduled time as well.

The Big Front Seats™ Are Great

Spirit offers the equivalent of domestic First Class seats in the first few rows on every plane. These are known as the Big Front Seats™ and they offer plenty of space. Sure, there is no outlet (I bring my own battery chargers) and they don’t recline (I rarely ever put my seat back on domestic flights anyway). The costs range from around $50 to over $150, but this is still way cheaper than buying a First Class ticket on one of the legacy carriers.

Gold Status Pays Off

I received a status match last year to Spirit’s top-tier Gold status and then maintained it through flying. With it, I get my carry-on and checked bags (if I ever checked one) free, seat assignments aside from the Big Front Seats™ are complimentary, and I get to board first in Zone 1. Once on board, I get a complimentary choice of snack and non-alcoholic beverage. Almost all of this saves me money on every flight and I earn miles faster based on status.

Employees Are Pretty Friendly

There are good and bad apples everywhere. I have found that more often than not, the Spirit gate agents and flight crews are pleasant and courteous. Some have even gone out of their way to thank me for my loyalty and provide service above and beyond what’s expected.

I do have some complaints in that not every aircraft has operational Wi-Fi and there are some routes that I wish Spirit flew without lengthy connections. But, these are tradeoffs I’m often willing to deal with given the positives I’ve outlined above.

Anthony’s Take: I would have called you crazy if you told me two years ago that I would be flying Spirit and enjoying it. I will still maintain my loyalty to Delta and retain Diamond Medallion (and will likely also keep United Premier 1K®), but when the timing and price are right, you’ll find me on a Spirit plane.

(Featured Image Credit: Spirit Airlines.)