Spirit Airlines $9 Fare Club

[katybugsmom]

Has anyone signed up for the Spirit's $9 Fare Club and been able to buy tickets for $9 or any other reasonable price? What was your experience with Spirit Airlines? I'm a little nervous to try them because of the recent strike, but they have the cheapest prices. We would really like to fly this year to WDW in December instead of driving!

 

[buzzmom3]

I joined the $9 fare club and got my flight from Atlantic City to Orlando for $27. I flew on Spirit right after the strike and stressed out the whole week before wondering if they would settle. I figure we should be fine in December caude they won't strike again. Now Airtran on the other hand...their pilots have authorized a strike but are still negotiating.

 

[katybugsmom]

I joined the $9 fare club and got my flight from Atlantic City to Orlando for $27. I flew on Spirit right after the strike and stressed out the whole week before wondering if they would settle. I figure we should be fine in December caude they won't strike again. Now Airtran on the other hand...their pilots have authorized a strike but are still negotiating.

Thanks! I may join and see if we can't get a good deal flying out of Myrtle Beach. We are only an hour away from there and it would be an easy drive there and back! Keep your fingers crossed!!!!

 

[NJFireman22]

We have flown on Spirit, many many times, and we havent had any problems at all, the lowest fair we have recieved has been 27.00 to and from MCO out of ACY.

Our daughter flew out of MCO on spring break and got a 9.00 fair to ACY,she booked very early,
but paid 128.00 to get back to MCO. So it seems like things equal out.

We like Spirit because its so easy flying out of ACY, rather than putting up with all the crap in PHL.

 

[pumpkinboy]

While I know a lot of folks have done fine with Spirit, I avoid them like the plague. I am just not willing to risk my vacation or my life on an airline that treats its passengers and employees the way Spirit does. The recent strike shows how bad things were. Perhaps they are better now?

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

I am a member of the $9 fare club and purchased $27 fares from Atlantic City to Orlando several months ago. Roundtrip tickets for 5 of us totaled less than $500. Even after adding fees for baggage and seat assignments, it still far cheaper than any airline flying out of Philly.

Just be prepared to be a little flexible with your travel dates and you can save LOTS of money!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I didn't join but our friends did for our Sept trip. They usually love SW but stumbled on cheap fares from Spirit. $373 for a family of 5 RT, non stop from AC to MCO. We'll be taking their bags though, free on SW.

 

[ibcnu]

We have always flown Spirit to Florida, several times a year (in-laws live outside Fort Myers, D goes to college in Orlando).

Until recently, a month before they went on strike they left D to fend for herself in Fort Lauderdale airport until the next day. Seems they delayed the flight and when she arrived at the airport, they gave away her seat. I was not happy, not to mention getting a call from a crying D who wanted to know what to do since the next flight wasn't leaving until 8am the next day. I was furious but found friends to pick her up and give her a place to sleep and drove her to the airport the next morning. She was flying from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando.

The next time Spirit screwed around with us was when we were flying from Myrtle Beach to Atlantic City and there was a storm delaying flights out of LaGuardia, this was to be the plane that was to take us to AC. The flight wouldn't arrive until after midnight, at which time the Myrtle Beach airport CLOSES so NO plane that night. Spirit said it wasn't their fault, so we had to grab out rental car and head back to the hotel for ANOTHER night. Next night, flight was delayed again but luckily came in before 11pm so we were able to board quickly and leave. Not really Spirit's fault, but they did wait until the last minute to cancel the flight. Prior to that we just had to sit and wait. Unfortunately, too late to find another flight.

My advice, NEVER book the last flight out on Spirit. Their on-time record is horrible and they have no problems cancelling the last flight out for weather or mechancial reasons.

This August trip I booked with Airtrain out of Atlantic City and for our December trip we are flying Southwest out of Philly.

Never want to see Spirit again. They were a really good airline for so long, but this year they have been screwy. THEN they added luggage fees for carry-on. Totally not worth it anymore.

 

[ibcnu]

NJFireman, our D goes to UCF too!! GO KNIGHTS! She loves it there, in fact we are taking the autotrain down next month so she can have a car in her sophmore year. oh boy!!

 

[Tess'smom]

I totally agree with IBCNU. We have flown on SpiritAir a number of times, with no problem. However, if you're flight does have a problem, you are in BIG trouble. We attempted to fly out on an evening flight from MCO to Atlantic City. Two days later with four delays, one cancellation and dumping us in Georgia without a flight home, - I will NEVER Fly them again. We finally got a flight on Airtrans. SpiritAir's response to us when we asked for a refund was: "well if your car was broken and it couldn't be fixed you wouldn't expect the dealership to pay for it"

 

[katybugsmom]

Thanks so much for your opinions everyone! I just don't know what to do!
I may go ahead and join and see what kind of deals I can get!

 

[NJFireman22]

Ibcnu; our DD loves UCF also, Our DS is also starting at UCF next year.
Knights 4 Ever !!!

Btw, I have been told Air Tran is pulling out of ACY sometime this fall, this comes from
an Air Tran employee that works there.

 

[abline]

I joined the $9 fare club and got my flight from Atlantic City to Orlando for $27. I flew on Spirit right after the strike and stressed out the whole week before wondering if they would settle. I figure we should be fine in December caude they won't strike again. Now Airtran on the other hand...their pilots have authorized a strike but are still negotiating.

This is the same type of deal I got. Even with paying for luggage you can't beat there rates.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

When you get charged for carry on, when your flight is cancelled, when your flight is delayed, when your family is scattered all over the plane, when the staff is rude/surly, when they don't respond to emails or phone calls....

Remember that your ONLY consideration was "how cheap can I fly"

At least weekly, there's a RANT on tripadvisor.com saying "I WILL NEVER FLY SPIRIT AGAIN" from someone who went on price only.

If Clark Howard, who I think of as INCREDIBLY tight with a $$$, won't fly them, then..

(Quote from his show notes on April 7, 2010. I can't link)

"The consumer champ has often said that he's perfectly willing to accept lower quality for a lower price. But Spirit is so low in quality that even low fares won't make him fly them. "

No whining allowed about what happens after you book, you have been warned

 

[jll45]

I have flown Spirit at least 5 times in the last few years. I am booked to fly with them again next month. I have never had a problem with them. Two years ago, there was a tropical storm coming through Florida. I called them up and they switched my flight to a day earlier at no charge, they also reassigned my seats for me at no charge also. I go in with limited expectations and always come out extremely satisfied.
I will say that the seats are so small and close together that on one of my flights back from Orlando, I thought I was sitting in a sardine can for 2 hours.
It still hasn't deterred me from flying with them.
I have 3 airports to choose from that are all within an hour and fifteen minutes from my house. Spirit and Atlantic City always wins. The price is what keeps me coming back. This year it was $92 roundtrip with fees included. You can't find that on any other ariline, ever.

 

[jamounger]

Put in your dates and all the fares come up for that whole month you will be able to see what the 9 dollar fare club fares will be. You may have to adjust your dates. I am now taking 2 cruises this fall, one with 27 dollar fares to Orlando and the second with 33 dollar to Ft Lauderdale. I don't have much luck with the sales that pop up but these discounts show up most of the time for me.