The 3 biggest things I’ll miss most when Spirit is acquired
Spirit Airlines as we know it could be set to disappear.
JetBlue Airways announced on Thursday that it came to an agreement with Spirit's board to acquire the Florida-based carrier. The blockbuster takeover has been in the news since April, when JetBlue first announced its intention to woo Spirit away from a proposed merger with fellow ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines.
If approved, it could take several years to complete, but JetBlue's plan for Spirit is quite clear: the airline wants to retrofit the entire Spirit fleet and convert the planes into JetBlue tails. It'll also absorb Spirit employees and flight crew into a larger JetBlue workforce.
All this to say, Spirit's days are numbered (assuming that the deal clears regulatory hurdles).
While plenty of travelers love to hate on Spirit and its budget passenger experience, there are still some things that I'll miss about flying around in a yellow Airbus.
Big Front Seat
Spirit is unique among the ultra-low-cost carriers for offering an oversized first-class-like recliner.
Known as the Big Front Seat, this Spirit product is actually quite similar to a domestic first-class recliner — without any of the additional bells and whistles you'd receive if you were flying on a traditional network airline.
Seats are arranged in a 2-2 configuration, meaning that there's no middle seat in these rows. The recliners are wider than Spirit's regular seats, and they offer additional under-seat storage, too.
The armrest between seats is more spacious, and the seats are prereclined at a more generous angle than in coach.
There's no additional service or any other benefits for upgrading to a Big Front Seat. But that's okay because the price point is often significantly cheaper than flying in first class on a competitor.
On a recent trip between New York and Fort Lauderdale, Spirit was charging "just" $42 for the Big Front Seat, in addition to the $63 fare. Meanwhile, Delta wanted $799 for a first-class seat on the same date.
Though JetBlue offers a lie-flat Mint business-class product on a subset of its jets, the airline doesn't have a traditional first-class recliner on any aircraft. Instead, the "best" coach experience you'll find with JetBlue is extra-legroom Even More Space.
While it's possible that JetBlue keep Spirit's Big Front Seats, I'll definitely miss this offering if JetBlue removes it.
Price point
Spirit Airlines is known for its rock-bottom fares. While baggage and seat assignments (and nearly every other optional service) comes at an additional charge, I often find that Spirit is a great option for short flights when I'm traveling light.
For JetBlue, a big selling point of the acquisition is that it can become a formidable competitor to the "Big "4 U.S. airlines. It argues that the "JetBlue effect" on pricing will lead to the bigger competitors lowering their prices to match fares of a bigger JetBlue.
JetBlue believes that the Big 4 airlines don't feel the need to match Spirit's prices, whereas they would if JetBlue were in the market.
While that may theoretically be possible, the fact is that JetBlue is effectively eliminating a competitor in the marketplace by acquiring Spirit.
Spirit often undercut the competition in many of the markets it entered. JetBlue says that this practice will continue and grow to more airports after the acquisition, but only time will tell whether that happens.
Buzzballz cocktails
Sometimes, the best way to enjoy a Spirit Airlines flight is with one of the carrier's signature Buzzballz cocktails.
These canned alcoholic drinks come in two flavors, and despite reminding me of a college party, I actually quite enjoy them. They're available for purchase for $10 during most Spirit flights.
Interestingly, JetBlue doesn't offer any cocktails on its buy-on-board menu, and I'll definitely miss these signature Spirit drinks should the acquisition go through.
Bottom line
If the JetBlue merger clears all of its hurdles, Spirit Airlines' days will be numbered.
When JetBlue acquires the budget carrier, it'll retire the Spirit brand and convert the planes to JetBlue standards.
That'll likely spell the end of the Big Front Seat, Spirit's pricing model and onboard Buzzballs cocktails — three of the things I'll miss most about Spirit.
Perhaps JetBlue will surprise us by introducing its own version of domestic first class or adding cocktails to its onboard menu. Until then, enjoy these Spirit offerings while they last.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.