Even Spirit has premium fares now
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A Spirit Airlines aircraft at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Feb. 12. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Spirit Airlines is introducing premium service for the first time, the famously low-cost carrier announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: Spirit's new offerings are yet another acknowledgement by budget airlines that there's money to be made in higher fares with more creature comforts.
Driving the news: Spirit will now offer four tiers of service, with a menu not unlike those of wireless carriers.
- "Go Big" is the new highest-end option, with bigger seats, included snacks and drinks, priority boarding and more.
- "Go Comfy" includes a guaranteed blocked middle seat — which Spirit rival Frontier introduced in March.
- "Go Savvy" offers a carry-on or checked bag, plus seat selection.
- And "Go" is the bare-bones option for which Spirit is famous, with add-ons like checked bags and seat selection costing extra.
What they're saying: "We listened to our guests and are excited to deliver what they want: choices for an elevated experience that are affordable and provide unparalleled value," Spirit CEO Ted Christie said in a release announcing the news.
What's next: Spirit's new tiers will be available to book starting Aug. 16, with actual service beginning Aug. 27.
Yes, but: Every seat on an airplane gets where it's going at the same time, and on-time performance is still an issue for Spirit relative to the Big Three.
- About 75% of Spirit flights were on-time between March 2023 and March 2024, per Transportation Department data.
- That's compared to 86% for Delta, 82% for United and 81% for American.
Context: Spirit and JetBlue were both left searching for a runway after a federal judge blocked their planned $3.8 billion merger on antitrust grounds earlier this year.
- Spirit sees the answer in increased revenue from premium service — a strategy that Southwest Airlines is also adopting, under pressure from activist investors.
- JetBlue, meanwhile, is dramatically reworking its route map in a quest for profitability.
The bottom line: Flying is getting a little more comfortable — if you can swing a higher fare.
