Spirit Airlines: Are prices really cheaper if you buy at airport?

[CleveRocks]

I've flown Spirit for many years. I was on their website ready to book when I read something I'd never noticed before. It says that tickets bought at the airport are generally lower-priced than tickets bought on the website.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I'd be willing to go to my small local airport and pay $5 or $7 to park if it'll save me money on 4 tickets for next March. But time is precious and I'd have to shift a few things around to make time to drop into the airport.

Has anyone out there actually saved money by doing this?

 

[gmeh1]

I've flown Spirit for many years. I was on their website ready to book when I read something I'd never noticed before. It says that tickets bought at the airport are generally lower-priced than tickets bought on the website.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I'd be willing to go to my small local airport and pay $5 or $7 to park if it'll save me money on 4 tickets for next March. But time is precious and I'd have to shift a few things around to make time to drop into the airport.

Has anyone out there actually saved money by doing this?

I would give them a call and ask about this. I have a question, with all the add on fees Spirit has, do you really find them less expensive than say SWA or Delta?

 

[Lewisc]

Not sure about present policy. Some airlines charge a ticketing fee. Highest if you use the 800#, lower if you book online and lowest if you go to the airport. Check hours. Some airlines won't let you buy a ticket at the airport around flight times. Means you can only buy a ticket a few hours a day.

 

[DarleneW]

I see you live in the Atlantic City area so I'm assuming you are talking about the Atlantic City Airport. You said you are willing to pay the $5 - $7 to park but did you know that they have a "short term" parking lot right next to the parking garage and as long as you are there for under an hour it is FREE! I found this out once when I was picking up my daughter and SIL and they wouldn't let me park in front of the terminal. They told me to park there and it would be free for an hour or less. Now whenever my DD and SIL pick us up at the airport, that is where they wait.

 

[jsilvers]

"Passenger Usage Fee of $8.99 per traveling customer each way applies to all domestic reservations excluding bookings created directly at Spirit Airlines' airport locations."

"Passenger Usage Fee of $18.99 per traveling customer each way applies to all international reservations excluding bookings created directly at Spirit Airlines' airport locations as well as flights originating in or departing from airports in Colombia or Panama."​

See http://marketing.spirit.com/traveldeals/traveldeals.php

 

[CleveRocks]

Thanks for all your responses.

I found out the answer for myself today. I went to the airport (and YES!, I parked for free, Darlene ) and saved a total of $72 on 4 tickets.

I got a quote of $949 online but paid $877 in-person at ACY. Good deal!

To answer your quesiton, gmeh1, I've never overall calculated if Spirit is cheaper than the others. At the present time, I like to fly Spirit for the convenience. Spirit is pretty much the only airline at tiny little ACY (Atlantic City Int'l Airport). I live about 15 minutes away from ACY with almost no possibility of traffic tie-ups between home and there. I contrast this with PHL (Philadelphia), which is about a 70 minute drive from my home and is subject to traffic tie-ups in numerous places; PHL is a major airport and has every airline available.

So even if Spirit was much more expensive I'd probably still fly them to MCO due to the sheer convenience for me. Aside from ACY being so close to where I live, the parking is relatively close to the terminal and is relatively cheap, the lines at the ticket counter and security are almost non-existent.

 

[mieuxmew]

I just booked my parents a few weeks ago on a round trip flight on Spirit from Atlantic City to Tampa for $8 each way. With all taxes and fees it was $55/person. Add $18 for checking a suitcase and $10 for a seat assignment. Total with all fees is $111 round trip! Well worth it I think!

 

[gmeh1]

Thanks for all your responses.

I found out the answer for myself today. I went to the airport (and YES!, I parked for free, Darlene ) and saved a total of $72 on 4 tickets.

I got a quote of $949 online but paid $877 in-person at ACY. Good deal!

To answer your quesiton, gmeh1, I've never overall calculated if Spirit is cheaper than the others. At the present time, I like to fly Spirit for the convenience. Spirit is pretty much the only airline at tiny little ACY (Atlantic City Int'l Airport). I live about 15 minutes away from ACY with almost no possibility of traffic tie-ups between home and there. I contrast this with PHL (Philadelphia), which is about a 70 minute drive from my home and is subject to traffic tie-ups in numerous places; PHL is a major airport and has every airline available.

So even if Spirit was much more expensive I'd probably still fly them to MCO due to the sheer convenience for me. Aside from ACY being so close to where I live, the parking is relatively close to the terminal and is relatively cheap, the lines at the ticket counter and security are almost non-existent.

Makes sense, thanks for the response. I was just wondering after looking at their site and seeing all the add on charges.
I hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[DarleneW]

I just booked my parents a few weeks ago on a round trip flight on Spirit from Atlantic City to Tampa for $8 each way. With all taxes and fees it was $55/person. Add $18 for checking a suitcase and $10 for a seat assignment. Total with all fees is $111 round trip! Well worth it I think!

I just booked a trip for m DH & I on Spirit from Atlantic City to Orlando for $8.01 each way! The round trip airfare was $32 and the taxes & fees were higher but total for us round trip was $110!!!! Can't beat that

 

[luckyman_apd]

I know this is a very old thread, but I'm adding to it with newer information. I can fly out of Atlantic City as it is the same distance from my house as Philadelphia Airport. My neighbor told me to take the 35 minute ride to ACY airport and book my spirit flight in person and I would save $34 round trip per person. I thought he was full of it, and I found this thread. I checked their website and this is directly copied and pasted from Spirit's website as of today 12/3/13:

The following carrier fees apply to your domestic air travel (except for award bookings):
- Passenger Usage Fee: Passenger Usage Fee of $16.99 per one way travel per traveling customer applies to most reservations. A lower fee of $8.99 may apply to certain discount fares. No fee applies to bookings completed at Spirit Airlines airport locations.

So, it looks like a $16.99 fee is applied to every one way ticket price....and if you purchase at the airport you don't pay it...( or $8.99 to some discount fares) If you are flying spirit, and can take a trip to the airport to book, then do it. I have 4 people so $33.98 per person round trip is a $135.92 savings just for driving to the airport. Shoot, I'm going in a week to the casinos anyway so I might as well stop at the airport on my there!

 

[bianca]

I took advantage of this recently when buying tickets for my group of 10. I simply had my DH drop me off at the Spirit check-in area. He circled the airport once while I completed the transaction. 10 tickets round trip translated to $340. It was easy peasy and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The only advice I have is if you are purchasing for a large group, make sure you have every bodies correct name spelling, BD and address (which was not needed at airport, but for some reason is online). Just go prepared.

 

[Lewisc]

Check before driving the the airport. My memory is Spirit doesn't sell tickets while they're checking passengers in for flights and the ticket counter hours of operation may be limited during other times.

 

[bianca]

I was just at the airport yesterday buying a ticket for a last minute guest for our January trip. There were people checking in ...... They still processed my request. They even all commented on how great of a deal I got. $132 RT to Orlando from Detroit.

 

[magicaldisney]

For those of you who fly Spirit, are the seats as tight and uncomfortable as people complain they are?

 

[Lewisc]

I was just at the airport yesterday buying a ticket for a last minute guest for our January trip. There were people checking in ...... They still processed my request. They even all commented on how great of a deal I got. $132 RT to Orlando from Detroit.

My suggestions is to check before making a long trip to the airport. Some airports Spirit only has a few daily flights. The ticket counter might not be open at the time you think it is.

For those of you who fly Spirit, are the seats as tight and uncomfortable as people complain they are?

It's a fact that the pitch is the lowest of any domestic US airline. Some people may not have an issue. Those passengers may be smaller then most, have different proportions or have a high tolerance for pain/discomfort. The flight time may be a factor. Short flight people may be willing to put up with more.

 

[DisneyDiana]

I live near Atlantic City also. This info is really interesting.
Yes, even with the fees I pay a lot less than than I would on any other airline. Seats really are uncomfortable but I just suck it up when I can a hundred bucks or more.

 

[judypriv]

I live about 15 mins from ACY so I stopped by on the way to Storybook Land yesterday at about 3:45. I parked in short term which was free for 1 hour. Ran in and a nice representative sold me 6 tickets at $ 184 each compared to $ 214 on line. Not much but considering I had 6 tickets I saved $ 30 each for a total of $ 180. I'll take that. I was in and out in 15 minutes and I also brough along the suitcase I'll be using for personal item and tried it our in the space. This year I'm saving on luggage and the tickets so I am happy. Thanks everyone for the information!

 

[njmom47]

My dd lives less than 20 mins from AC airport (I'm about 45) and when I visit her, if and when we have a trip planned, I will get them directly at the airport. So excited to know about this. (If and When being the key words )

 

[tinkfan]

thanks for the heads up on this. I have flown Spirit from Houston to Orlando 2 times in the past year with some really good deals. I only live 15 mins away from the airport so would not have a problem at all going there to buy tickets. My question is that they often offer $ off codes , are you able to use these in person?

 

[bonjovi]

I'm a spirit flyer (out of ACY) as well. Parking is so easy and cheap. there are no lines out of the tiny airport. you pretty much only run into those on your own flight because there is so little activity there. We love the flight to MCO from there. so easy. all 6 of us paid $1005 total, will all fees and baggage charges, for our upcoming trip .