{"id":1071,"date":"2019-07-11T17:56:37","date_gmt":"2019-07-11T17:56:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/travel\/?p=1071"},"modified":"2019-07-11T17:59:11","modified_gmt":"2019-07-11T17:59:11","slug":"beat-spirit-airlines-and-the-low-cost-carriers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/travel\/beat-spirit-airlines-and-the-low-cost-carriers\/","title":{"rendered":"That’s The Spirit! How To Beat Spirit Airlines and the Low Cost Carriers at Their Own Game"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Before we can beat Spirit Airlines, let’s look at the history of low cost carriers. Many years ago, there were network carriers. They flew customers all around the world, in different classes of service and occasionally handed out decks of playing cards. And the passengers saw that it was good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, there was Southwest airlines<\/a>, a discount carrier. It didn’t offer a lot of frills, but in return, its fares were low and service was friendly. And the passengers saw that it was good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now, we have Ultra-low cost carriers (ULCC), like Spirit, Frontier and Ryan Air. They squeezed in as many passengers as they could and offered rock bottom prices, but all you got was safe passage. If you wanted anything else, whether that’s a seat assignment or a can of Coke, it cost extra. And passengers hated it, but they flew anyway, since the prices were so low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is A ULCC?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Spirit’s “bare fares” are just that. All the options will cost you.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An Ultra-Low Cost Carrier is simply the latest iteration in a series of attempts to get the cost of flying as low as possible. The premise is simple: The airline will sell you a ticket for a ridiculously low price. But that’s all you get. If you want to take a bag, choose a seat or do anything other than simply get on the plane, there will be an additional charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ULCCs don’t make any bones about their business models. In fact, they brag about them. Spirit Airlines, for instance, makes more than $50 per passenger in “ancillary fees,” a number that it discusses every quarter on its analyst conference call. In fact, passengers often pay more in extras than they do for the ticket itself! But, you can still beat Spirit Airlines and low cost carriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beat Spirit Airlines <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How To Beat The System (Or At Least Play The Game Well)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

But the fact that the ULCCs set the rules doesn’t mean that you have can’t play by your own. So remember this: Their business model is based on your being unprepared and inflexible. The more you can fight those habits, the better off you’ll be. And remember, you can always check the optional charges at the website, like this one<\/a> for Spirit or that one<\/a> for Frontier. You really can beat Spirit Airlines. Let’s take a look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Low Cost Carriers – Bring Your Own Food And Drinks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I am always surprised by how many people I see buying meals onboard flights. Really? People love to complain about eating free<\/em> airline food, never mind paying for it. And on low coast carriers, it becomes a bigger issue, since they charge for all drinks, not just alcohol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So do yourself and your credit card balance a favor: Pack an empty water bottle and some snacks. The snacks are particularly important if you have kids, since you know they will be begging you for food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do It Early And Do It By Yourself<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Frontier Airlines Baggage Options | Low Cost Carrier<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Oh, and get your mind out of the gutter. Stay focused, since we are trying to beat Spirit Airlines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the ways that these airlines save money is by minimizing employee expenses, so the fewer times that you bother them for something, the better. They will, of course, incentivize you to do as much as possible ahead of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out the chart above: If you want to check a bag, it will cost you $30 if you do it while you are booking the ticket. And then it goes up from there, to as much as $60 if you do it at the gate. The same policies apply for seat selection and check-in. The earlier you do it, and the fewer people that you involve, the better. How bad does it get? Spirit will actually charge you $2 to print your boarding pass from an airport kiosk! That’s an expensive piece of paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Determine What’s Worth Your Dollars<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We’ve gotten used to certain “perks” on airlines, but now you can determine if they are necessary or simply nice extras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n