How I strategically saved 40% on Spirit's Big Front Seat upgrade
Thanks to frequent fare sales and a plethora of promotional offers, it's quite easy to find a deal on a Spirit Airlines flight.
In fact, I flew the airline's inaugural domestic flight from Miami to Newark last week, and the mid-morning Wednesday departure cost just $22.90.
Though it's a great deal on paper, Spirit, like its ultra-low-cost rivals, charges separately for all ancillary fees, including seat assignments, carry-on bags, and flight changes. These extras vary in price depending on the route, day of travel and other factors, and they don't go on sale or get discounted as flight fares do.
That's why I was especially curious when I received an email after booking my Newark flight with the headline "you're just a few clicks away from a super comfy ride at a super comfy price."
I've recently been flying with Spirit more than ever, and have really enjoyed my flights in the airline's Big Front Seat. Each of the carrier's yellow Airbus jets is outfitted with a handful of domestic first-class recliners arranged in a 2-2 configuration, available for roughly the same cost of an extra-legroom coach seat on major network airlines.
The extra width and added legroom of the Big Front Seat make flying with Spirit so much more comfortable. This year, I've exclusively flown in the first two rows on my three Spirit flights.
However, I originally decided to forgo paying for a seat assignment on my Newark flight. After all, the flight cost just $23, and I couldn't justify paying $55 — double the flight price — for a Big Front Seat upgrade for the three-hour journey.
So, when I received the email about scoring access to a discount upfront seat, I wanted to learn more. Turns out, Spirit has contracted PlusGrade, a digital upgrade solution platform, to allow travelers to submit bids for better seats.
If Spirit can't fill its Big Front Seats at the going rate of $55, why not make some money on them instead of leaving them empty?
That's where PlusGrade comes in. The service allows flyers to make bids for either a Big Front Seat or an exit row. All these seats were vacant at the time the email came through, so I figured it couldn't hurt to give it a try.
I decided to bid the lowest possible offer, $34 or roughly 40% off the going rate, for the Big Front Seat. I was then told to expect an email between 48 hours and two hours before departure informing me of the outcome of my bid. I couldn't specify my preferred seat (the window), but I could submit separate bids for the Big Front Seat or the exit row (I only submitted for the former).
Related: Is the Spirit Airlines Big Front Seat worth it?
In the coming days, I monitored the seat map. Six of the eight Big Front Seats remained unoccupied, so I was confident about my bid, despite the fact that it was labeled as having "poor" odds of being accepted.
Had more seats been occupied, I probably would've increased my bid by a few dollars, since you can modify or cancel your bid until two days before departure.
Forty-eight hours before my flight, I hadn't heard anything from Spirit. There were still six unoccupied recliners available for sale, so I had a good feeling.
Lo and behold, I woke up the day before my flight with an email from Spirit congratulating me on the bid being accepted. I quickly refreshed my reservation to see that I was assigned seat 1C, a bulkhead aisle — my least favorite type of seat. A 30-minute call to the airline's reservation team got me moved to my preferred seat, a window in the second row.
For $34, a $21 savings compared to the going rate, I was happy with my purchase. Sure it still cost more than the flight itself, but it made my inflight experience much more pleasant.
And at $57 all-in for the flight and a first-class recliner, I'd call that a big win in my book.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees