Not to thread crap, but they offer deals like this 2-3 times a week, different days, different routes.. this is an "average" deal by their standards.. sometimes, they have exceptional deals - but nothing here is what I would deem an exceptional deal..
I was going to jump on this, until I familiarized myself with all of the fees. If I was going solo, with no carry-on and no checked bag, it would be VERY worth it. Alas, I'm not..
Absolutely some great solo deals. I'm a Spirit defender - because people complain about their practices, but for the FW mindset - if you learn to play THEIR game, you can capitalize on it. For instance, if you wanted to fly to Boston from DFW for 36 hours on 4/25 to 4/26 - you can fly round trip for $40 bucks if you can fit everything in a backpack. For someone who literally wants to just explore a new city for a day, and can do it those days - this is a ridiculously amazing deal. But Spirit has these several times a week in different varieties/iterations/themes. I've done (and just added another one to the list) a 24 hour day to Vegas. Leave from DFW at 11pm Day 1 - stay there Day 2, fly back at 12am to 5am Day 3 - miss 1 day of work and get a day of Vegas for $40-$80 bucks, depending on the day/time.
there was an instant to get free membership a few years ago. Then there was 5000 miles give-away, which I had eventually expire. It's virtually impossible to win with those Spirit tricks
Las Vegas is the closest airport to me and there seem to be plenty of $9 fares to CA for the days Im looking for. I just need to travel for an overnight(to see a dr). Is the airline really as bad as the reviews say? I could care less about charging for peanuts or an uncomfortable seat (for a 1 hour trip), and I can pack just a small purse/carry on for 1 overnight. It seems ideal for me? Am I missing something..some other extra fees? or are flights freuquently cancelled?
foghorn19 said: miserly said: nomonies said: thanks, got one for my mother in law. one way trip?!
I'm hoping the MIL is staying at nomonies' at the moment.
I would pay $900 if I could send my MIL one way with no return trip available by plane, train, or automobile! THAT would be a FW deal of the century!!!
Flights are typically not canceled, but you may experience horrendous delays. There may be other passengers like you, but most of their clientele is "cheap", and you have to suffer traveling with them. They have obnoxious fees for everything, but if you carry just a backpack and avoid buying snacks/food, you will be all right. There may be other passengers like you, but most of their clientele is "cheap", and you have to suffer traveling with them. The maintenance is shabby, the seats are shoddy, the staff is shady.
Did I mention the clientele is, for the most part, cheap and obnoxious?
I've flown spirit twice recently from houston to Las Vegas. First return trip was cancelled and while they did take care of us with hotel and flight the next day on another airline, it was very inconvenient. The other flight leaving Vegas to Chicago was also cancelled.
On the second flight, some drunk younger lady "took the first flight she could out of Houston". She wanted to gamble on Bridge and Backgammon. Had no hotel, no luggage... they yanked her as soon as she stepped off the plane.
The second flight was delayed leaving, but not by a lot.
The seats are extremely cramped, they added an extra row or two on the plane. There are pictures on the web, I'm 6 foot and my knees barely touch the seat in front of me even with seats not reclined.
They charge for everything (you dont HAVE to pay to select your seat but it's shady how it looks like you do. If you don't pay you will get assigned a random seat when you check-in. I personally prefer this to southwest cattle call.)
They charge for carryon. The price is around $35 when you book your ticket, $50 at the counter, and $100 at the gate. If you understand this, then good. A lot of people get very upset because they either didn't understand, didn't believe, or thought they could sneak a bag on. On the return flights people were screaming because they had to pay $100 or leave their extra crap they bought behind. This is the flyer's fault as the fees are not hidden.
But if it fits under the seat, it's free. You can put a small backback, but don't think you can take a small backpack AND a computer bag. Ladies can't take a purse AND a small bag, it's one bag, and it has to fit under the seat.
I understood all the rules, paid less than $120 for a round trip ticket the first time, $146 the second. (not the $9 club, just regular pricing. First one had a coupon.) I took what I needed in a backpack and bought what else I needed there. Consider shipping any luggage through UPS if it's not heavy.
I'll probably do it again because I love paying so little for a trip to Vegas, but as others said, plan for delays. I just checked and in April it's under $150, while United was $436. (these are red eye flights on Spirit)
If you have to pay for your carryon, then factor that into your price when comparing.
If you get nervous because flights are delayed or cancelled due to maintenance issues, are a large or very tall person, or don't want to feel like you're in a flying bus with possibly shady passengers then choose elsewhere.
If you have to have multiple stops, and one flight is delayed, it can be a nightmare. I only choose non stop routes with them.
Guess my disabled husband is one of the cheap & obnoxious patrons, as well as my father & step-mother, and my mother. My SM has been using Spirit out of DFW a lot, her mother lives near Tampa. My dad used it on no notice when his BIL died near Miami. My mother used it to get to Tampa when my grandmother had a stroke. My husband has gone twice, the first time on no notice to see his mother on her death bed. We paid for the membership because my SM did & told us about it--she brings luggage. My husband can't bring a carry on, we mail his stuff ahead of him. There is no first class, we paid $24 and he sits in the first seat in the door & is large.
If you are flexible, if you have something like a death or emergency, if you aren't super picky--Spirit is a great option. Make sure you read everything & note all the charges. We came out ahead with the membership on the first flight by $10, and the membership is good for the whole year. My step-mother is a super pain in the butt about all services, but she tolerates Spirit & has flown round trip for under $50 already.
My husband requires a lot of assistance including chair service to his seat, and he is near totally deaf. He felt that the workers were fantastic and treated him so well. They offered him assistance to the rest room more than once and he felt very comfortable. He often has trouble when we go most places, gets upset and doesn't want to go again, but he was happy to use Spirit again and is going to FL next week. He is not a vacationing traveler though, so it works for us. Don't buy into Spirit unless you realize what the issues can be and you are OK with it, and you'll have a great deal on your hands.
Being part of the $9 club is only beneficial for baggage. The prices listed online are 16.99 more expensive than at the ticket counter at the airport. I live in Ft. Lauderdale (which is their hub) and can usually snag cheaper tickets just going to the airport to buy them. The airline does have a lot of fees but they are all clearly posted. Even with the added fees they are usually the cheapest.
rozzer said: Guess my disabled husband is one of the cheap & obnoxious patrons, as well as my father & step-mother, and my mother.Guilty plea accepted. Case rested.
Disclaimer: By providing links to other sites, FatWallet.com does not guarantee, approve or endorse the information or products available at these sites, nor does a link indicate any association with or endorsement by the linked site to FatWallet.com.
Members of our community may attach files to a post in accordance with the User Agreement. FatWallet is not responsible for the content, accuracy, completeness or validity of any information contained in any attached file. Files have *not* been scanned for viruses. Be especially wary of Excel files which may contain malicious content.
One-time set up
Avoid the hassle of entering your information every time you buy.
•
Instant Cash Back tracking
Since we complete the purchase, we can credit your Cash Back immediately.
•
Buy with just two clicks
One click begins checkout and another confirms your purchase.
Once set up, making a purchase with FW checkout is a breeze. FatWallet Checkout confirms the after-tax
price plus shipping and, after you confirm, completes your purchase for you.
Shopping
Earn Cash Back while you shop - just 3 simple steps.
1. Sign Up so we know who to pay! (It's FREE.)
2. Shop through FatWallet for deals from your favorite stores. Your online purchases earn Cash Back that builds in your FatWallet account.
3. Get Paid by requesting a payment via check or PayPal.
FatWallet coupons help you save more when shopping online. Use our Coupons Search to browse coupons and offers from thousands of stores, gathered into one convenient location.
Forums
As part of our FatWallet Community, you can share deals with almost a million shoppers in our forums. Forum content is generated by consumers for consumers. Share deals, money-saving tips, and more. It's FREE, fun, and addicting.
Support
Our customer experience team is here around the clock - real people ready to assist.
Click to copy code and go to .
