SPIRIT - Out of Atlantic City

[Jazzerfan]

I read a lot of posts and I do realize Spirit tacks on a lot of fees; but they still seem to have the best airfare pricing right now. I've seen on different sites (US AIR, Airtran; Continental, SW) and prices prices have been consistant around $330RT out of PHL and EWR. Several Questions:

1) How is service on Spirit and AC?
2) Is it worth to join the $9 club?
3) How is seating assigned?
4) Should I book or continue to wait?
5) Does MExpress pick up from Spirit in MCO?

My trip dates are 8/28/11 thru 9/3/11.

PLEASE HELP and ADVISE!!!! I'm getting nervous I won't get a better deal.

 

[DarleneW]

I read a lot of posts and I do realize Spirit tacks on a lot of fees; but they still seem to have the best airfare pricing right now. I've seen on different sites (US AIR, Airtran; Continental, SW) and prices prices have been consistant around $330RT out of PHL and EWR. Several Questions:

1) How is service on Spirit and AC?
2) Is it worth to join the $9 club?
3) How is seating assigned?
4) Should I book or continue to wait?
5) Does MExpress pick up from Spirit in MCO?

My trip dates are 8/28/11 thru 9/3/11.

PLEASE HELP and ADVISE!!!! I'm getting nervous I won't get a better deal.

My DH & I always fly Spirit to Orlando. Whenever we have plans to go to WDW which is usually a couple of times a year, I check all the major airline fares leaving from Newark and never get a cheaper flight than Spirit. I have sometimes not paid for our seat and we have never not sat together but we would almost always sat towards the back of the plane. I did find that if I don't print out the boarding passes at exactly the 24 hour mark and wait until closer to our time that we have sometimes gotten seats closer to the front of the plane. But since we almost always take the early flight around 6:00 a.m. I have splurged and bought the big seats so we are more comfortable and can snooze and not have to be squished. I am a member of the $9 club and have even been lucky to get a $9 flight. Of course you have to be flexible to get lucky with that. As for waiting...it depends when you are flying. I have waited to see if fares drop and have been lucky and gotten pretty good deals. Yes you can use Magical Express with Spirit. You just can't do check in for the flight coming home at the resort only at the airport. You can print out a boarding pass at WDW if you want to do that.

 

[TheTurners]

We flew out of AC on Spirit in September. I was shocked to learn that parking is no longer free. "Economy" parking is $9 a day, so our 10 day trip was $90 that I didn't expect. I joined the $9 fare club. In addition to cheaper fares, you get discounts on the luggage fees so it is definitely worth it. When booking I was disgusted to find you had to pay $10 per seat, per flight to select your seats For 3 of us it added $60 to the bill. And if you want to sit toward the front of the plane, the fee is more (up to $25 per seat per flight). What I didn't know at the time is that you don't have to select your seat, you can wait until you get your boarding pass and receive whatever seats they give you without the fee. The only issue is that a full flight could mean your seats won't be together but they will help you change that if it happens. I would book as early as possible. If fuel prices keep climbing you are going to pay more. Make sure you put all your taxes, parking, luggage fees, etc in your budget and it still ends up being a decent deal. AC International is a very easy airport to deal with and when you have little ones that is a big bonus. Have fun!

 

[CPT Tripss]

In my experience, the seats on Spirit are the most uncomfortable and most cramped on any of the airlines you mention . . .

 

[DarleneW]

We flew out of AC on Spirit in September. I was shocked to learn that parking is no longer free. "Economy" parking is $9 a day, so our 10 day trip was $90 that I didn't expect. I joined the $9 fare club. In addition to cheaper fares, you get discounts on the luggage fees so it is definitely worth it. When booking I was disgusted to find you had to pay $10 per seat, per flight to select your seats For 3 of us it added $60 to the bill. And if you want to sit toward the front of the plane, the fee is more (up to $25 per seat per flight). What I didn't know at the time is that you don't have to select your seat, you can wait until you get your boarding pass and receive whatever seats they give you without the fee. The only issue is that a full flight could mean your seats won't be together but they will help you change that if it happens. I would book as early as possible. If fuel prices keep climbing you are going to pay more. Make sure you put all your taxes, parking, luggage fees, etc in your budget and it still ends up being a decent deal. AC International is a very easy airport to deal with and when you have little ones that is a big bonus. Have fun!

I guess it has been a while since you've flown out of AC airport because they have been charging for parking for a lot of years. It used to be much cheaper but it is still cheaper than parking at the bigger airports. Unless you park in the parking deck which is $12 a day. We flew out last November and the "economy" parking lot was full so we had to park in the parking deck. I wasn't happy about that.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

1) How is service on Spirit and AC? Sprit and service are NOT compatible terms! Remember they charge for carry ons that do NOT fit under the seat....Their President has publicly said "customers only care about price"
2) Is it worth to join the $9 club? Since I won't fly them if they paid me IMHO it's not.....
3) How is seating assigned? You want to sit with your family, you better just pay! Contrary to the DIS board views they do may not help you sit together and if other's have PAID for thier seats they are not going to want to move for you. (And no, there's no "rule" saying your young child has to be seated near a parent!)
4) Should I book or continue to wait? No idea
5) Does MExpress pick up from Spirit in MCO? Yes

Personally if Spirit was my only option I would just stay home

 

[johnnyr]

I read a lot of posts and I do realize Spirit tacks on a lot of fees; but they still seem to have the best airfare pricing right now. I've seen on different sites (US AIR, Airtran; Continental, SW) and prices prices have been consistant around $330RT out of PHL and EWR. Several Questions:

1) How is service on Spirit and AC?
2) Is it worth to join the $9 club?
3) How is seating assigned?
4) Should I book or continue to wait?
5) Does MExpress pick up from Spirit in MCO?

My trip dates are 8/28/11 thru 9/3/11.

PLEASE HELP and ADVISE!!!! I'm getting nervous I won't get a better deal.

Never again! I've flown Spirit twice, but this last time was the absolute last reservation I will ever make with them. They nickle and dime every penny out of you. They lure you in with the low fares, but suck every penny they can get out of you once they get your reservation. Be prepared to pay for your carry on luggage, checked luggage, seat selection (at outragous prices) and something to drink or eat on the flight. They will not even give you a bottled water without paying for it.

I thought I was saving a few bucks, but the hour drive to AC vs 20 minutes to Philly is just not worth it. And they do not participate with DME. You will be shlepping your own luggage at MCO. Do yourself a favor and save yourself a lot of headaches and fee by booking with a reputable airline out of Philly. Don't waste your time with Spirit. Spirit is not the same airline they were 5 years ago. They are a ultra low cost airline and you get ultra low cost service.

 

[mickey2000]

1) How is service on Spirit and AC? Sprit and service are NOT compatible terms! Remember they charge for carry ons that do NOT fit under the seat....Their President has publicly said "customers only care about price"
2) Is it worth to join the $9 club? Since I won't fly them if they paid me IMHO it's not.....3) How is seating assigned? You want to sit with your family, you better just pay! Contrary to the DIS board views they do may not help you sit together and if other's have PAID for thier seats they are not going to want to move for you. (And no, there's no "rule" saying your young child has to be seated near a parent!)
4) Should I book or continue to wait? No idea
5) Does MExpress pick up from Spirit in MCO? Yes

Personally if Spirit was my only option I would just stay home

I agree 100% with number 2

 

[Ed J]

I've been flying Spirit out of ACY since they had a dirt parking lot. All my trips have been incident free with friendly service, you'll notice this is first hand, not something regurgitated from another blog.

I fly frequently and wish all my trips could be through ACY, but they can't get me where I want to go most of the time or at a price that is competitive, so PHL and EWC are places I'll also depart from.

My Kid like Spirit too .