My love/hate with Spirit Air

[imatoad]

I love Spirit Air because it fly's out of AC airport, 25 minutes from my house, the airport has no hassle in and out parking, no dealing with the drive to Philly. Here's why I hate Spirit Air; my flight to Orlando is $72 (great), the return flight is $168 (horrible), suddenly this discount airline is not discount at all. I've gotten good airfare with them years ago, but it seems I'm not having much luck lately., and I don't travel until Oct., go figure.

 

[TR Denise]

I had the same problem with our October trip I kept trying but really couldnt get both flights I wanted at a good price. I decided to fly to Tampa and drive to Orlando my DH and I always rent a car anyway and since omny the two of us are going we dont mind the drive. its about a hour and Tampa Airport is easy to navigate

 

[Brian Noble]

Spirit has been pricing out within a few dollars of NW for my September weekend from MCO. I ended up just using FF miles for the trip, but still. Last year I got great fares during President's week, but did return through Tampa.

However, the prices for that weekend have been going down, slowly. It was above 260, and is now under 225. Perhaps yours will too?

 

[Tigger_Magic]

Spirit Air prices recently skyrocketed in Chicago into the hundreds of dollars for ORD to MCO. They've slowly dropped, but not to where they were in Jan. I am glad I booked my Nov. flight as soon as they were released -- got an amazing low price.

I think part of the fare jump was due to jet fuel price increases.

 

[senecabeach]

imatoad....

Hey...I also live 25 min away from AC airport and DO LOVE Spirit Air Especially because they are, for the most part, NON STOP!!

I'm going down in Sept and have waited to make my ressies...Guess I should do them ASAP??

 

[ZebraStripes]

I'd love to fly them out of PVD. Unfortunately, we travel during winter and spring break and their prices are the highest of all the airlines.

 

[Sleuth]

We too got excellent fares, purchased in January to fly Spirit DTW-MCO, non-stop for $152 (total with tax per person). I recently looked again at the rates and they are much more now. I'm so glad we bought our tickets online in January!

 

[Brian Noble]

One tip on winter/spring fares: last year, they started out atrociously high for DTW-MCO and DTW-TPA for President's Week. As in hundreds and hundreds of dollars per ticket. By September, I had paid less than $200 per.

Right now is just too early to be looking at spirit for, say February.

 

[Dopey Sharon]

I bought our tickets back in January for our trip in December. We are flying Spirit, out of Atlantic City, non stop, leaving 7 am, returning 5pm and paid $153. Those same flights are now up to $273!

I always book airfare as soon as I can, and almost always get the cheapest prices AND the times I want.

 

[bjakmom]

I just found out that Spirit changed it's policy in april that allowed us to book a lower fare if it went down once we booked and apply the "credit" towards a future flight (all my flight fares went down the day after I booked them!) Now if you want to change your res to a lower fare they will charge your cc $40. pp and then give you the 'credit voucher' towards a lower price - they won't even deduct the $40 charge from your 'credit' (that's assuming your fares drop more than $40.) I've been flying Spirit several times a year for many years, but unless they have a good fare at the time I'm booking - I'll be making the drive to Phila to fly SW - they are wonderful about allowing customers to take advantage of their lower fares - and you can apply your 'credit' to a flight in anyone's name!

I don't see how this is good customer service - they are offering the lower fare to 'someone' - why not me? - I have already committed to fly them at that point and, once I have a 'credit voucher', I'll be back to fly them again within the year. Well, I guess they must be filling their planes, despite the high fares and changed customer policies!

 

[Kitty 34]

I have to agree with the OP. I have flown Spirit several times because not only are their employees friendly and service has been good but also because they were inexpensive.

Right now Northwest has cheaper flights for my dates in November than Spirit!!

 

[ZebraStripes]

One tip on winter/spring fares: last year, they started out atrociously high for DTW-MCO and DTW-TPA for President's Week. As in hundreds and hundreds of dollars per ticket. By September, I had paid less than $200 per.

Thanks for the tip! I'll try to cut down my 3 times a day checking to only once a day for a while!

 

[senecabeach]

First...Dont know if many of you know this.....
Before I retired last year, I frequently travelled for business, all airline fare "sales" come out on Wednesday. Don't know why. So...get on their mail list and check out the rates as you get the newsletters.

I just found out that Spirit changed it's policy in april that allowed us to book a lower fare if it went down once we booked and apply the "credit" towards a future flight (all my flight fares went down the day after I booked them!) Now if you want to change your res to a lower fare they will charge your cc $40. pp and then give you the 'credit voucher' towards a lower price - they won't even deduct the $40 charge from your 'credit' (that's assuming your fares drop more than $40.)

As long as "nothing changes" from your original ressie...you can, on line, re-submit you original info..as many times as the price goes down...and get the current sale fare...for NO extra cost! As far as I know I dont see, or, read that the minimum is a $40. change??

I do it all the time...most recently..i.e. changed for a lower fare for my Sept trip and have a $60 and $40 voucher (which I will use for my next May trip!!)

 

[bjakmom]

Senecabeach - I've been getting the lower fares and travel vouchers for the last few years, too - but last week when my fares went down for Oct (right after I had booked ) I tried to get the lower fare and it came up in red writing that my cc would be charged $40 pp for the rate change (I was sticking with my original flight, no other changes). I have called and talked to 2 supervisors and both have told me that the change was made late last month (April) so that you could no longer make ANY change (including going to a lower fare) without being charged the $40.- (and this charge is not deducted from your savings, but charged directly to your cc and your savings are tranferred to a credit voucher for future travel). Please let me know if you find out differently as my flight rates have gone down a good bit and I have quite a few people flying.

 

[senecabeach]

bjakmom......

WOW...

I'll keep you posted. I made ressies last week am flying Sept 9th and will be checking the fares weekly I did use up the last 2 vouchers I had on this flight.

Back in Nov for a Dec flight...I was having trouble, I thought, with making changes (getting a lower rate) on the web site..called Spirit..and they told me...they could make my changes for a fee..but if I used the web..it wouldn't cost any additional $$. She gave me directions for the web and I was OK.

 

[allicat]

We always fly Spirit out of AC. However, Im saving over 100 dollars flying Southwest out of Philly this Aug. More of a hassle to drive there but no way was I paying those prices for a "discount airline" Plus, now that this $40 fee is in place, Im even less happy with Spirit!

 

[lUVTOGO]

I booked our November trip in December for 155.00 RT. Friend of ours want to join us and when I went online it was up to 686.00 a person for the same time frame.

Needless to say they will be flying out of Philly!

 

[rigsby25]

Spirit Air prices recently skyrocketed in Chicago into the hundreds of dollars for ORD to MCO. They've slowly dropped, but not to where they were in Jan. I am glad I booked my Nov. flight as soon as they were released -- got an amazing low price.

I think part of the fare jump was due to jet fuel price increases.

I don't know. I booked for 200.00 each round trip for October. Two weeks later they cancelled my mid day Sunday return flight, putting us on a Sunday night evening arrival instead. I didn't like that at all, so I went to their website only to find that the mid day flight is no longer available, and the flights I hold now cost over 700.00 each. 200.00 to 700.00 would be fuel price increases? How can they confirm and charge you for a flight, and then take it away?

 

[dangler]

Does Spirit Air assign seating? Can you pick your own or do you get it when you get your boarding passes?

 

[senecabeach]

You can pick your own seat ahead of getting the boarding pass.

Im leaving 9/9 and cant pick a seat until 6/12..so the web site says.
Boarding pass 24 hrs. before flight.