Watch as we review 2 very different ways of flying Spirit Airlines
As a Brit, I've had my eye on Spirit Airlines for a while now. I often hear my American friends and colleagues talk about this low-cost U.S. carrier with shockingly varied levels of enthusiasm. It was only right that I try it out for myself. And in true TPG U.K. style, I brought along a friend.
Stella is a credit cards writer for TPG in New York and was offered the chance of experiencing Spirit in its "Big Front Seat" with all the bells and whistles of service that Spirit offers, while I would slum it down the back in a randomly assigned economy seat on the most basic ticket possible. We flew from Newark (EWR) to Myrtle Beach (MYR) on a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320.
Watch the full video of our experience here:
Big Front Seat — Stella Shon
We paid: $253.39
Stella flew in the Big Front Seat (1A) and added the "Boost it Bundle" to her ticket. She was able to pick her seat and grab a sweet spot in the plane (up to and including the exit row), take a checked bag and enjoy priority boarding.
Stella found the Big Front Seat was incredibly spacious and a really comfortable way to fly for a short-haul flight, she loved the friendly crew who provided speedy service, and an on-time departure and arrival made for a great flying experience overall.
On the downside, many snacks or drinks that she wanted to purchase were out of stock, there was no in-seat power and no option to purchase Wi-Fi.
Economy — Nicky Kelvin
We paid: $125.39
Although my ticket came with no extras, it was great value especially as I didn't need to check a bag. I got lucky and was still assigned a window seat (my favorite!). The crew were incredibly friendly and made the experience memorable.
There were a few issues, though. There was no Wi-Fi, entertainment or power outlets. There was also the worry before flying that I could have been assigned a middle seat. Guaranteeing a seat I wanted would have cost me an additional $15.
In terms of comfort, the tray table was very small, you couldn't reasonably operate a larger laptop while seated, and the seat itself was quite shallow, which would have become uncomfortable on a longer flight.
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