Spirit Airlines

[jenseib]

I jsut got an email through Hotwire taht Spirit is offereing $8 fairs to certian locations. I click on the link to get over to the site, and it shows the dates, etc, but how do you book that fair? It doesn't give a code anywhere, and when I put in the dates and destination it comes up at full price. I would love to visit my friend in LA, but I don't know how to do it?

 

[jenelope]

If it's showing full price rates, that usually means the $8 fare is sold out for the date you selected. When the cheap flights are available, they just show up in the regular booking window with no code required. The super cheap airfare on Spirit sells out very quickly. I've found that Hotwire usually posts their cheap airfare the day after Spirit sends out their own e-mails about fare sales. You may want to subscribe to Spirit's e-mail notification to have the best chance of scoring a cheap flight. I know that's the only way I managed to fly from Detroit to Boston for $.02 last weekend (plus $20.80 in airport fees).

 

[CleveRocks]

Spirit is very tricky with this stuff, and as far as I'm concerned there's a lot of bait and switch going on.

I'm on their e-mail list, and on at least several occasions I've received the e-mail (I hear it entering my mailbox) and then gone IMMEDIATEKY to their website and entered some of the dates listed and NEVER seen one of those sale fares.

I found them once or twice, but here's how they get you. It's almost impossible to find dates for the insanely low fares in BOTH directions. So even if you find it once, you're going to pay full fare (or more!) in the other direction. The sale fares are usually on "off" days of the week for conventional travel.

 

[jenelope]

Almost, but not quite impossible! I flew out of Detroit on a Thursday morning and returned from Boston on Monday afternoon. And I recognized quite a few people on my return flight that were on my flight out, so there were a number of us who had a long weekend for less than $21 (airfare, anyway). However, I will say that in six months of subscribing to Spirit's e-mail, this is the first time I found the cheap flights that actually made a long weekend and went someplace I wanted to go. Also, it helps that Detroit is Spirit's main hub.

I think the real bait and switch comes from the high likelihood that people cancel these trips because they can't get time off or change their mind. When fares are that low and so hard to book, you tend to take a "book first, ask questions later' tactic. When I booked my Boston trip, I had no idea if I was going to be able to actually use it. I figured that if I couldn't, I was only out $20.82, which I thought was a reasonable risk. If I'd cancelled, Spirit would have still made a profit off me, since they wouldn't refund the money, but they also wouldn't have to pay the airport the fees of $20.80, and then they could turn around and re-sell my seat at full price. It is a bit of a shell game, but when it works out for you, it can be an exceptional deal. You have to be flexible and be willing to shoulder a certain amount of risk, though.

 

[Minnie & Me]

I received their $8 sale e-mail yesterday at around 2pm eastern time.

 

[LittleMermaidsMom]

I received the $8 email yesterday and just decided today to do a long weekend in New York this June.. we didn't get it for $8, but was able to get $44 each way.

Also, I think you just have to be there at the right time... we've been pretty lucky in getting the low fares. Last year, we got $17 each way to Orlando.. and this May 9-20 there are 16 of us going to MCO for $0.32/each way - total fare with taxes is $19.95/per person. So, I know if they let 16 people book at this price, they must set aside at least that many seats for the sale fare. My cousin just happened to be on the Spirit website pricing airfares before the sale was announced publicly, because about an hour after we booked we received the email announcing the sale.

Good luck!

 

[jenseib]

Thanks everyone. I did find one for the way down, but even on the listed days back, I couldn't find the 8 dollar one. But I could come back for 88, so in total it was around 117 round trip. Still a good fare, but my friend who lives there told me she is out of town at that time, so I can't even do it anyways! I guess I'll keep watch and if I see one come up, I'll try to jump on it!

 

[a1tinkfans]

Last time we tried for the $8 fares you had to sign up for there "program" which then cost $59??? or something a year but they'd give you a trial for a short period of time.
Take a look at the fine print for those fares and you'll likely see the same thing. We never got an $8. fare....I agree with the other poster, I don't like the way they "lure" you in and they don't really give it to you....
Good Luck though!!!!
I'd love to hear if you DID get it!!

 

[jenseib]

I did read the fine print and you didn't have to sign up for that, or be a member. But they did try to offer it as a free trial, but you could take it off your reservation easily.

 

[G's mommy]

We've been able to get r/t out of Atlanta for $125 including all taxes and fees with Spirit. You just have to check dates frequently, they run sales all the time and they all have a different gimick to them. Most of the time, you only get the .01, or $8 fares one-way due to the dates. They only have seats at the low prices on a few dates, mostly during the week like on Tuesday or Wednesday. It's hit or miss, you just have to check often and cross your fingers.