Spirit Airlines Reviews: What to Know Before You Fly - Travel Before a recent flight, I found that my relatively empty daypack would easily fit into the personal item sizer. Everything you should know before flying Spirit Airlines Winner: The Frontier Mastercard wins thanks to its waived redemption fees and its clear, published award chart. Winner: The Spirit World Elite Mastercard lets you achieve elite status through the new Free Spirit loyalty program for just $2,000 in spend per year. Frontier Airlines Baggage Fees & Policy [2023 Update] - Upgraded Points While there are some limitations on flight eligibility, this benefit alone can offset the annual fee for family travelers. Despite the antagonism Frontier and Spirit can attract, their business models are prospering while the legacy full-service carriers are under siege. First, you must be a member of Frontiers frequent flyer program, Frontier Miles. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. First, decide which airline you prefer. No limit to the points you can earn, no points expiration as long as your card account is open, and no redemption fees as a primary cardholder. The Frontier Mastercard lets you earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $500 on purchases within the first 90 days. 5 miles per $1 spent with Frontier Airlines, 3 miles per $1 spent at restaurants and 1 mile per $1 . A full-size carry-on bag can be added for $15-$20 each way. Before heading to the airport to book, calculate how much you'd pay in passenger usage charges. America's ultra-low-cost carriers have had a bad reputation for years. The lowest elite tier is "Elite 20k," earned by accumulating 20,000 qualifying miles or 25 flight segments in the same calendar year. We'd love to hear from you, please enter your comments. If you've already booked a Spirit flight, this guide will answer common questions about flying Spirit, so you can have the best trip possible. The difference is that Spirit Airlines wears its cost savings as a badge of honor with its motto: less money, more go.. , you'll earn a $100 Frontier Airlines flight voucher after your account anniversary, which more than makes up for the cards annual fee. Our opinions are our own. And the card comes with a nice bonus offer. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. On the plus side, the fares are often very low, and the planes are relatively new. Your membership expiration date will remain the same, but you'll now get more perks. or more in value from your Frontier miles. And if you're looking for a middle ground between price and amenities, Frontier is a good option. The Frontier Mastercard tends to gear toward the budget-conscious, thanks to its lower minimum spend requirements on the sign-up bonus and the annual flight voucher. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Frontier Airlines could be a better choice for you than Spirit Airlines if you live in the Western United States. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. If you want a more comfortable experience with some extra perks, JetBlue is a good choice. There are some requirements to join Discount Den. Frontier Airlines Credit Card Reviews: Is It Worth It? (2023) - WalletHub Updated: December 20, 2022 54 Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines are two of the biggest ultra low cost carriers (ULCCs) in the United States, and if the two companies have their way, they'll be merging soon. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. And. Credit Score ranges are based on FICO credit scoring. The card comes with a nice sign-up bonus: Depending on where and when you travel, that could be worth a round-trip flight. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. If you tend to be budget-conscious and dont mind flying ultra-low-cost carriers such as Frontier Airlines or Spirit Airlines, you may have considered either of these co-branded credit card options. Both Spirit and Frontier charge for everything besides a standard plane ticket. Before my first flight with Spirit Airlines several years ago, a friend joked that I'd be flying on a "rubber-band plane." If you want more flexibility, a general travel credit card may be more appropriate for your lifestyle. Unlike most airline cards, it also comes with 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for the first fifteen billing cycles, and then the ongoing APR of 20.74%, 24.74% or 29.74%, Variable APR. Fees In-flight experience Is Frontier better than Spirit? Best Barclays Cards of June 2023. The Frontier Airlines World Mastercard may be worth it if youre able to fly Frontier on a regular basis. Related: Credit card showdown: Frontier Airlines World Mastercard vs. Free Spirit Travel More World Elite Mastercard You Should Choose Spirit Or Frontier For Your Amex Airline Incidental Credit Dia Adams Editor Reviewed By Caroline Lupini editor Updated: Dec 21, 2022, 6:28pm Editorial Note: We earn a. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. If you purchased Flight Flex or the Bundle It Combo, then you can change your flight once free of charge -- subject to fare differences -- up to 24 hours before departure. Spirit: The . However, with the introduction of Basic Economy by the major carriers, this product is very similar to the lowest fares on other carriers. You can find her speaking at many venues about family travel, credit cards and travel loyalty programs or using travel rewards to travel at least 100 days a year with her own family. Where you can get 1.3 cents or more per mile with some other carriers, Spirit Airlines offers less value. If you held a $9 Fare Club membership as of Jan. 21, 2021, Spirit converted your membership automatically to the Spirit Saver$ Club. After flying America's two most popular ULCCs in the same weekend, I left with no qualms about flying either in the future especially if I can find those legendary cheap fares as we begin to slowly emerge from travel lockdowns. Comparing Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines - The Points Guy Comparing Allegiant, Frontier & Spirit in the age of coronavirus - The All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. Like Frontier's program, these perks can be used for friends and family members who travel with you. 10 Worst U.S. Airports For Flight Cancellations Last Week Points can be redeemed for a variety of things, but theyre more valuable worth 1.25 cents apiece when redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. The Perks bundle will work for most situations and fortunately it is available for purchase after booking. Plus, there's a generous welcome offer: Points take on more value when redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, and you can transfer them to multiple airline and hotel partners. My favorite use for the American Express incidental credit is the Spirit Airlines Big Front Seat. Like Discount Den, Spirit Saver$ Club offers access to exclusive discounted fares. If I had to travel farther than up and down the East Coast, though, I'd likely pay more to stick to my carrier of choice, Delta, when possible. There was an automated system for checking in and checking bags before passing through security. And Club members also get 50% off on their first bag and further discounts on seat selection, Flight Flex, Shortcut Security and Shortcut Boarding. Both also offer annual club memberships that give benefits for an annual fee. Spirit's dedicated COVID-19 webpage contains just the bare essentials. After running a few route searches, we found these consistent prices below, but do check for your specific route. The recent changes to Spirit's membership come in addition to a slew of enhancements to its frequent flyer program. You'll need to pay additional fees if your checked bag is overweight (up to 100 pounds) or oversized. . For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. One more gotcha: The voucher expires in six months. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Additionally, members now get discounts on seat assignments, including Big Front Seats and exit row seats. Frontier's Discount Den and the Spirit Saver$ Club formerly known as the $9 Fare Club can be big money savers. This compensation may impact how and where . Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. . Both Spirit and Frontier offer bundles of options including a checked bag, seat selection, and other perks at a discounted price, but only at the time of booking. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Her areas of expertise include research and strategy. Earn an additional 20,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 6 months with the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard. Another TPG reporter recently wrote about his pleasant experience flying Spirit's Big Front Seat. Membership costs $59.99 and you'll have access to the program for an entire year. Just be sure to buy the Discount Den membership in a separate transaction from your airline tickets. Meanwhile, the Spirit card offers a 25% rebate on inflight purchases. Frontier Airlines World Mastercard Review - Forbes Advisor Normally, Frontier charges for these. Spirit offers Standard fares and Saver$ Club fares. You have to assign an airline before you can utilize the credit and that airline will be your designated airline until you can change it in January of next year. Earn bonus rewards in a variety of popular spending categories, including dining and travel. Frontier does not have a great reputation for customer service. Gregory Karp is a former NerdWallet writer and an expert in personal finance and credit cards. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Claire Tsosie is an assigning editor for NerdWallet. While it wont happen immediately, Spirit and JetBlue are planning a merger sometime in 2024. Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. And if your ticket price is less than $100, you forfeit the remaining value. Spirit vs Frontier - Better Wander Related: World Elite vs. World Mastercard: Benefits and value. So long as the member is on the reservation, you can book discounted fares for up to six travelers. Free Spirit Travel More World Elite Mastercard Review - ValuePenguin Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Although the Spirit flight was cheaper, your booking experience will depend on a number of factors the route, when you book and more. The better sign-up bonus really depends on what youre looking for. Earn an additional 20,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 6 months with the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard, Earn 5x miles on eligible purchases at flyfrontier.com, Earn toward Elite Status by earning 1 Qualifying Mile with every $1 spent on purchases or by flying Frontier, Unlock Family Pooling to share miles with family and friends, making mileage redemption more in reach, Earn a $100 Flight Voucher every account anniversary with eligible purchases. However, the credits are worthless if you dont use them. Related: Spirit Airlines will add 3 routes to brand-new Honduras airport. However, you can save $5 by committing to an 18-month membership for $99.90 or save $10 by purchasing a 24-month membership for $129.90. 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Theoretically, you can earn elite status just from spending $20,000 or more on your Frontier card, unlocking exclusive benefits such as a free carry-on bag and seat assignment. No matter which ultra-low-cost carrier you choose, your experience is likely going to feel about the same. Related: Can I book budget carriers on the Chase portal? In short, these seats are similar to non-lie-flat business class products that other carriers fly domestically. Related: Earn easy miles with the Free Spirit Dining program. First Bag. Just some reminders about vouchers and credits: Vouchers and credits are usually valid for 90 days for booking a flight from the date they are issued. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). But that's not all. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539, NMLS Consumer Access|Licenses and Disclosures, California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #60DBO-74812, Property and Casualty insurance services offered through NerdWallet Insurance Services, Inc. (CA resident license no. $100 flight voucher after every account anniversary after you spend $2,500 or more in net purchases during your card membership year.Access to "Family Pooling" for sharing miles.Priority boarding.Progress toward elite status.Miles won't expire with purchase. 3 Reasons I Prefer Spirit Airlines To Frontier Airlines 10 Best Ways to Redeem Frontier Airlines Miles [for Max Value] Keep in mind that balance transfers don't earn miles. Hardly, but I was shocked that there were no kiosks and no opportunities for customers to complete check-in and bag-check steps themselves. If you own multiple travel rewards cards, youll have to decide if meeting this spend requirement is realistic. In my opinion, the Big Front Seat is the best deal in the sky. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. For these travelers, the annual fee can be justified to. One more gotcha: The voucher expires in six months. NerdWallet values Frontier miles at 0.9 cent each. As is the case with Frontier's program, the membership fee must be paid upfront, is nonrefundable and renews automatically. But if you make a purchase on your. Assigning Editor | Credit cards, business software, payments. Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $500 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. For example, here's a calendar showing which days in October 2021 have Saver$ Club fares for travel from Atlanta (ATL) to Austin (AUS). Although they are fairly similar, there are some differences in price and benefits. The Works adds free flight changes and refunds and access to seats with more legroom. It's also possible to transfer your points to several airline and hotel partners. While these cards (and their loyalty programs) are often overlooked, both airlines have recently refreshed both of these offerings, making them surprisingly decent options to add to your credit card portfolio. Find the right card for you. Among the most valuable, but hard to use, perks are the airline incidental credits that come with premium American Express cards. Indeed, some travelers love to fly Spirit. Based on our analysis, the Frontier World Mastercard is the better card of the two, but note these other considerations with the Spirit card before applying. Spirit Airlines We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Spirit Airlines Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. . Find the right card for you. For this, we take a look at the bonus categories to see how easy it is to earn rewards on your everyday spending. So with just $2,000 or $5,000 in spend each year, you can get exclusive benefits such as free same-day standby flights, free seat selection at check-in and more. After all, Spirit's website says: I checked the cost to select seats a few hours before my flight. Now, with global travel demand suppressed by the coronavirus pandemic, it's likely that we'll see these two airlines and their peers in the industry play a large part in restarting the U.S. commercial aviation industry in a meaningful way. I paid a total of $331 for a one-way ticket on Frontier from Miami (MIA) to Newark (EWR), which included airfare, a checked bag and seat selection. Incidental Credit For Amex Airline: Choose Spirit Or Frontier - Forbes On the other hand, the Spirit Mastercard offers 40,000 bonus points plus a $100 companion flight voucher after making at least $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. We have also been publishing a selection of our most popular reviews from the past year. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. She has edited articles on a variety of topics, including business software, Medicare and home improvement. Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. During Booking: Spirit Saver$ Club $59 to $68 It depends. Cocktail combinations (e.g., a shot of gin and a can of tonic water) are $14 . Most people apply for airline cards to get perks, such as free checked bags on every flight. Any remaining balance due must be paid by the customer. Second Bag. Related: Everything you should know before flying Spirit Airlines. A 12-month membership now costs $69.95, with no discount in your first year and no trial option. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. Even with the 24-month option, the lowest price you could pay for a membership is $64.95 each year, which is still more expensive than Discount Den. Booking it at a later date will trigger the incidental credit. By joining one of their discount clubs using your incidental airline fee credit you could save hundreds of dollars all year long. There are a lot of similarities between the business models of the two airlines. is a former reporter for the site, covering all things points, miles, credit cards, travel and aviation. With your card, youll earn 1 qualifying mile toward elite status with every $1 spent on purchases. Spirit in general has a better record than Frontier so if you can choose from both that may be a deciding factor for you. And the card comes with a nice bonus offer. Frontier Airlines World Mastercard: Best feature: Frontier Airlines rewards. Spirit earned a respectable fourth place on Forbes best airlines ranking in 2019(the last full year of normal data), above United JetBlue, Southwest and American Airlines. Wyndham Rewards Earner Card: Best feature: Wyndham rewards. Frontier's miles are worth less than those of any other major U.S. airline, according to NerdWallet valuations. Comparing Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines. FRONTIER Airlines World Mastercard Earn 50,000 bonus miles after qualifying account activity 2 Earn toward Elite Status by earning 1 Qualifying Mile with every $1 spent on purchases or by flying Frontier 2 Earn 5x miles on eligible purchases at flyfrontier.com 2 $89 annual fee 1 Rewards Earn 50,000 bonus miles Related: What you should know before flying Frontier Airlines. If you dont need both seat selection and two bags, you can also purchase them individually after booking in order to trigger the credit. Dia Adams is a Managing Editor for Forbes Advisor in the credit cards and travel rewards vertical. I was able to find my reservation quickly at the kiosk, print my checked-bag tag and drop it at the automated bag drop and then I was on my way. Find the right card for you. Big Front Seats are wider and have more legroom than standard Spirit seats. Check here before booking an award fare. The cost to choose a seat depends on the route, seat type, when you purchase the seat and seat location. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. The prospect of obtaining a new sign-up bonus is arguably one of the most exciting parts about signing up for a new credit card, so lets look at these offers first. $68 to $74. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. Best Credit Cards for International Travel, The following cards offer airline incidental credit, kids 14 and under fly free with a parent on certain dates, Seat assignment fees (but NOT an upgrade to a different class), Change fees, phone reservation fees and redeposit fees, Annual club memberships (well come back to this one), Mileage points purchases or mileage points transfer fees, Award tickets (although $5.60 award ticket fees do count towards the credit). We found that one-way flights cost as low as 2,500 points, stretching the value of your sign-up bonus with a ton of booking options. Based on our searches, Discount Den fares are typically $10-30 cheaper than the standard price, so it will take anywhere from 2-6 flights each year to make the membership worth it. Spirit Airlines is the leading Ultra Low Cost Carrier in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America. Earn an additional 20,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 6 months with the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard, 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles, APR: 20.74%, 24.74% or 29.74%, Variable APR. I still didn't pay to select any of these seats at check-in and got a message noting Spirit would assign my seat at the gate. The usefulness of its rewards currency, Frontier Miles, is limited because the airline is relatively small, so it might not fly where you want to go. The Business Platinum Card from American Express. If youre not familiar, Spirits first two or three rows are set up like a domestic first class cabin with comfortable 2-by-2 seating. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Some of this value is recouped if you use your card to earn the $100 voucher and work towards Spirit Airlines elite . However, it did not even have a true seatback pocket, which forced me to keep all my personal belongings in my pockets, which is less than ideal especially when space is at such a premium. It's also possible to transfer your points to several airline and hotel partners. With the same annual fee ($79, but waived the first year), well help you decide which airline card is best for you. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns bonus rewards in a variety of popular spending categories, including dining and travel. The Best Airline For You: A JetBlue Spirit Or Frontier Comparison This combo comes with the following: Prices vary by route and are per person each way, but Spirit Saver$ Club members get a slight discount. With that in mind, Frontier Airlines might make sense for families with kids under 15. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Once you reach the payment screen, select " Frontier Voucher " and enter the voucher number (s) and click Retrieve . Some travel credit cards offer the . Best Barclays Credit Cards of June 2023 | US News But they're not for everyone. Before the global shutdown of travel began, I gave the two largest ULCCs in the U.S. a go in the same weekend, on flights between New York City and the Miami area. Frontier's miles are worth less than those of any other major U.S. airline, according to NerdWallet valuations. Savings vary by flight but Saver$ Club members can get up to 50% off checked and carry-on bag fees. So any other benefit you squeeze from the card is gravy. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. This probably way too dramatic but these rules work for me in keeping the flights worth it. JetBlue Plus Card . While the first installment is due at the time of . Free Spirit World Elite Mastercard from Bank of America Plus, you'll face more fees when flying Spirit than with most other U.S. airlines. While this likely won't make a difference for most travelers, Spirit takes things up a notch by extending the perks to up to eight guests on the same reservation, as opposed to six. Elite 50K members get 50% off, while Elite 100K members get complimentary membership. A journalist for more than 30 years, he has been a newspaper reporter and editor, authored two personal finance books and created the "Spending Smart" syndicated newspaper column.