10 Things Canadians Need to Know About Spirit Airlines

In Canada, you can fly several great Airlines by collecting either Aeroplan points, RBC Avion Points, or American Express Membership Rewards. These programs not only allow you to redeem miles with Canadian airlines but also allow you to see the world by redeeming miles with their partner airlines. 

Who wouldn’t want to travel to Paris in Business class for only 70,000 Aeroplan points? 

Many travel blogs (this one included) often trumpet the benefits of credit card points, as it can save you thousands of dollars on once-in-a-lifetime experiences. 

However, these Canadian programs can be sometimes limited if you’re flying domestically within the United States. While United Airlines is a partner of Aeroplan, reward availability can be sparse. The same can be said for American Airlines as part of the British Airways Executive Club program. You can transfer Membership Rewards to Delta Skymiles, but the value in doing so is less than ideal. 

Sometimes if you’re looking to travel domestically in the United States, you may need to pay a cash fare.

The US has a wide variety of airlines, all with varying pros and cons. The new United Polaris is a great business-class product if you’re flying internationally, but not every vacation is a world-class experience. Sometimes you just need an airplane to get you from Point A to Point B without all the bells and whistles. In situations like this, it may be in your best interest to explore some of the ultra-low-cost carriers available in the US market. 

Enter Spirit Airlines. 

Spirit Airlines is the 3rd biggest Airline in the United States and has planes flying all over the US at extremely discounted prices. 

In this post, we’ll walk through the do’s and don’ts of flying with Spirit Airlines, and the steps you’ll need to take to ensure a stress-free trip. 

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Here are 10 things Canadians need to know about Spirit airlines

1. Spirit Airlines has a Massive Fleet of Airplanes

Spirit Alines flies out of the following airports:

 

Despite being an ultra-low-cost carrier, Spirit has a massive fleet of planes, something that can’t be said for the ultra-low-cost carriers in Canada

The larger airlines in Canada simply have more inventory than a Swoop or  Flair. If you’re traveling out of Orlando back to London ON via Swoop and there is a mechanical issue with your place, Swoop Airlines will not have a backup plane at the ready. It will take them a while to get you a second plane. 

the Airbus planes that Spirit has as part of its fleet ensures that maintenance problems or staffing issues don’t derail your vacation 

2. Prices Tend to Vary Greatly

If you’re looking for a particular route on Spirit Airlines, you’ll notice a VAST discrepancy in costs, depending on the day you’re flying. For example, Flights from Boston to Orlando will cost WAY more during the winter when compared to June

Prices can even change quickly on your desired departure date depending on interest levels, so if you find a flight you want to book, make sure you jump on it quickly. It may not be there the next time you look.

3. Spirit Airlines Has a Simple Booking Process

The booking process for Spirit Airlines is quite simple: 

4. Beware of the Baggage Fees 

With ultra low-cost carriers (such as Swoop, Flair & Spirit), your ticket gives you access to your seat. EVERYTHING else will cost money, and depending on what you’re bringing, the baggage fees may completely erode the savings you get by booking with a discount airline. 

Here are the baggage fees when flying with Spirit  Airlines: 

You can easily see how these costs can chip away at the savings. If you’re checking a bag with Spirit Airlines, be sure to verify the TOTAL COST at checkout. It may end up being more expensive when compared to Delta or Southwest (where you get a free bag).

Here are some Spirit Airlines baggage tips from YouTuber ProjectUnearthed

5. Don’t Expect a Luxurious In-Cabin Experience 

All of the airplanes comprising the Spirit Airlines fleet are Airbus (you can view the 4 different aircraft here). The interior design is quite simple, it’s just a seat. There are no complimentary soft drinks, or peanuts, although there are items for purchase. 

The legroom in most seats is less than what you’d expect to find on a Delta or United flight, and unfortunately, the seat padding is lacking (the lack of padding creates a bit more room for you if you’re a glass-half-full person). 

Most spirit aircraft have 8 “big seats” at the front of the plane. These seats do not come with extra perks other than a better seating experience. Typically, it will cost a few hundred dollars to upgrade to these larger seats, but I have been on flights where unoccupied big seats were being sold at a discount at the gate.

If you choose not to pre-pay for your seat, you’ll be randomly assigned a seat at the time of check-in. I always encourage those flying Spirit to check in as early as possible to ensure you receive a seat. Popular flights can be overbooked, and those who do not pay for a seat and check in at the last minute are at risk of not getting on the plane (don’t worry, you’ll be compensated for this) 

 If you want to work on your laptop, you will have limited space, as the tray tables are much smaller than what you’d expect to see on a Canadian airline. Your seat will not have the ability to recline.

There is no entertainment system, so bring your tablet if you’d prefer to be entertained. Wifi is offered at a fee, so ensure you have a few movies/shows downloaded. There are also no outlets on-board so if your phone/tablet dies while onboard, you’re SOL. 

While you’ll hear MANY people complain about this in-flight experience online, you’ll be able to reduce your stress by simply having a charged phone/laptop, and bringing a sandwich. a 2-3 hour Spirit flight is no big deal. 

This in-flight experience is all about tempering expectations. 

6. The Spirit App/Customer Service is Surprisingly Good

Spirit has an app that allows you to book your flight, check-in, check your flight status and contact customer support. Spirit Airlines as a whole doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but the app serves its function.

One of the reasons why Spirit can price out cheap flights is that they have an extremely lean customer service team when compared to the bigger airlines. 

That being said, The Spirit customer service team punches well above its weight. Part of this is that the airline is somewhat reliable (see stats above) and that they only have a limited number of international flights (this makes for quick phone conversations and reconciliations) 

One of the positives I’ve personally had while dealing with the Spirit Airlines customer service team is the ability to chat with them via WhatsApp, which 90% of the time is easier than speaking with a human being over the phone

7. Spirit Airlines has a Loyalty Program 

Spirit Airlines has a newly launched loyalty program.

There are 3 Elite Status Tiers, which come with varying degrees of benefits

Benefit	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Points earned for flights	6x.	8x.	10x.
Points earned on “À La Smarte” options	12x.	16x.	20x.
How to earn this level of status	Free to join	Spend $2,000 on flights or Spend $20,000 on the Free Spirit Travel More World Elite Mastercard You can also have a combination of the two	Spend $5,000 on flights or Spend $50,000 on the Free Spirit Travel More World Elite Mastercard You can also have a combination of the two
Seat Selection		choose your seat at check-in.	You can choose your seat at the time of booking
Free Checked Bag			1 free checked bag 1 free carry on bag

Matching Your Status to Spirit Airlines

An airline status match is a program offered by some airlines to attract frequent flyers who hold elite status with a competing airline. The idea is to entice these high-value customers to switch their loyalty by offering them a similar or equivalent elite status with the new airline. This can be particularly appealing for travelers who have invested time and money in earning and maintaining elite status, as it often comes with perks and privileges that enhance the overall travel experience.

Spirit Airlines will match your elite status with another Airline, as you can see below.

Read: How to Earn Aeroplan Status

Read: How to Earn WestJet Status

Free Spirit® Loyalty Tier
AIRLINE	SILVER	GOLD
Aerolineas ArgentinasAerolíneas Plus	GOLD	PLATINUM
AeromexicoClub Premier	GOLD	PLATINUM TITANIUM
Air CanadaAeroplan	PRESTIGE 25K	ELITE 35K ELITE 50K ELITE 75K SUPER ELITE 100K
Alaska AirlinesMileage Plan	MVP	MVP 100K MVP 75K MVP GOLD
American AirlinesAAdvantage	GOLD	CONCIERGE KEY EXECUTIVE PLATINUM PLATINUM PLATINUM PRO
AviancaLifeMiles	SILVER	DIAMOND GOLD
Caribbean AirlinesCaribbean Miles	SILVER	EXECUTIVE GOLD GOLD
Copa AirlinesConnectMiles	SILVER	GOLD PLATINUM PRESIDENTIAL PLATINUM
Delta Air LinesSkyMiles	SILVER MEDALLION	DELTA 360 DIAMOND MEDALLION GOLD MEDALLION PLATINUM MEDALLION
FrontierFRONTIER Miles	20K	100K 50K
Hawaiian AirlinesHawaiianMiles	GOLD	PLATINUM
JetBlueTrueBlue Rewards	MOSAIC 1	MOSAIC 2 MOSAIC 3 MOSAIC 4
LATAMLATAM Pass	GOLD GOLD PLUS	BLACK BLACK SIGNATURE PLATINUM
SouthwestRapid Rewards	A-LIST	A-LIST PREFERRED COMPANION PASS
United AirlinesMileagePlus	PREMIER SILVER	GLOBAL SERVICES PREMIER 1K PREMIER GOLD PREMIER PLATINUM
WestJetWestjet Rewards	SILVER	GOLD PLATINUM

8. Spirit Airlines Has a Points Program

Similar to many airlines, Spirit Airlines allows you to earn miles for the purposes of free flights. 

Earning Miles

There are 2 ways to earn Spirit miles:

A. Flying with Spirit Airlines 

The amount of Spirit points you earn via airfare depends on your loyalty level

Benefit	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Points earned for flights	6x.	8x.	10x.
Points earned on “À La Smarte” options	12x.	16x.	20x.

B. Signing up for the Spirit World Elite Mastercard

If you have the ability to acquire US credit cards, you can apply for the Spirit Free Spirit Travel More World Elite Mastercard. The $79 annual fee is offset by the following benefits:

Redeeming Miles 

Spirit point redemptions start at 2,500 miles, and have a value of roughly 0.8 cents per point

9. Spirit Airlines Will Occasionally Offer Deals via Email

If you’re interested in further savings offered through Spirit Airlines, I encourage you to sign up for their promotional emails. Occasionally Spirit will offer savings upwards of 75% off. 

Most of the time, these savings are only for select routes, and select dates, but you will find the occasional deal over the course of the year.

10. Don’t Let the Bad Reviews Deter You

If you’re hesitant to try out Spirit Airlines because of some of the bad reviews online, I would implore you to keep perceptive. People don’t typically write a review if things go according to Plan. 

Opinions on the quality of Spirit Airlines can vary among individuals. While their fares can be very competitive, Spirit charges additional fees for services and amenities, which can anger some ill-prepared flyers

It’s important to consider your specific needs and expectations when evaluating an airline. If you prioritize low fares and are comfortable with a more bare-bones flying experience, Spirit Airlines may be a viable option. However, if you value extra amenities, more legroom, or a higher level of customer service, you may want to consider other airlines that offer a different flying experience.

Ultimately, I recommend researching and reading reviews from multiple sources to gather a comprehensive understanding of Spirit Airlines’ strengths and weaknesses, as well as to consider your personal preferences before making a decision.

As a reminder, travellers have had bad experiences with all airlines.

Conclusion

Spirit Airlines is a low cost carrier that operates on extremely tight margins. This means that seats are cheap, but everything else will cost you more, and cancellations are more likely. So if you’re travelling light, and domestically in the United States, feel free to give Spirit Airlines a try.