Spirit Airlines is an American ultra-low-cost air carrier based out of Miramar, Florida. It provides some of the lowest ticket fares currently in the United States air travel market. It also holds the distinction of being the largest ultra-low-cost airline in the United States.
In this article, we’re going to provide you with some facts about Spirit Airlines and what to expect when flying with them.
Brief History of Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines did not start as an airline. In 1964, the company that was to become Spirit was founded as a trucking company. It wasn’t until 1983 that the trucking pivoted to become an airline, called Charter One Airlines whose niche was a resort destination charter airline out of Detroit which offered flights to popular destinations like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and the Bahamas.
In 2007, after identifying a gap in the American air travel market, Spirit decided to pivot once more to become an ultra-low-cost airline. Also known as discount airlines, ultra-low-cost carriers minimize costs which reduces the number of in-flight amenities and features that you may find on normal airlines. When you keep the costs lower, you can sell fares at some of the cheapest prices on the market.
In the early 2010s Spirit Airlines became the first American airline to begin charging for carry-on baggage. This practice was already in commonplaces overseas in Europe but Spirit was subjected to scrutiny with this business decision. However, after Spirit Airlines broke the ice on this practice, other United States airlines began to follow the same mold of charging for carry-on baggage.
More recently, Spirit Airlines has been in the news because of its potential acquisition from JetBlue Airways. The deal was finalized in July 2022 however was blocked by the Department of Justice because a larger airline purchasing an ultra-low-cost airline will increase fares for air travelers due to competition needing to adjust to remain competitive.
Key Facts and Information about Spirit Airlines
Year Founded: 1980
Years of Operation: 42 years
Airline Type: Major
Call Sign: SPIRIT WINGS
Website: http://www.spirit.com/
Spirit’s Aircraft Fleet – In Detail
Spirit Airlines has a total of 193 aircraft in its inventory. The thing to note is that Spirit Airlines primarily functions with only Airbus aircraft. Just like how JetBlue and Southwest stick with one aircraft manufacturer, the goal is to reduce maintenance costs.
Spirit Airlines most commonly flies the Airbus A320neo, Airbus A320-200, and Airbus A319-100.
Airbus A320neo
The Airbus A320neo is a narrow-body commercial aircraft that can carry up to 240 passengers. It is known for its fuel efficiency, advanced avionics, and modern design, making it a popular choice for both short and medium-haul flights.
Airbus A320-200
The A320-200 is a popular narrow-body jetliner designed for short to medium-haul flights. It can seat up to 180 passengers and has a range of over 3,000 miles.
Airbus A319-100
The A319-100 is a popular single-aisle jetliner designed for short to medium-haul flights. It can seat up to 156 passengers and has a range of over 3,700 miles.
If you want to learn more in detail about the Airbus A319, check out this article here.
Spirit Airlines Seating Configurations
Since Spirit Airlines is an ultra-low-cost airline, you cannot expect too many frills when it comes to seating options on their aircraft. On all operational aircraft types in the fleet, you will most commonly find economy-class seating. There is no first-class or premium class, however, Spirit does provide one option for you to upgrade your seating called “big front” seating.
Spirit Airlines Economy Class
On the Airbus A319s, A320s, and A321s, the majority of the seating is economy. Typically, the seating arrangement is two columns of 3 seat rows on each side of the aircraft. There is only one aisle going down the middle of the plane.
The seats are very standard. Don’t expect to be very comfortable. The seats on Spirit are made of deluxe leather. The recline of these seats is very limited and the legroom leaves much to be desired.
Spirit Airlines Big Front Seating
For a few extra bucks, you can update your seats from economy to Spirit’s version of first class. Near the front of the plane, there are a handful of seats that are configured in two seats by two-seat columns that are designed to provide a little extra legroom.
Spirit Airlines Flight Destinations and Operations
Spirit Airlines currently flies to 83 destinations throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
The airline flies out of quite several crew operating bases however its main hub is in Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Spirit Airlines operates out of the following airports.
- Atlanta-Hartsfield International Airport (KATL)
- Atlantic City (KACY)
- Chicago–O’Hare (KORD)
- Dallas/Fort Worth (KDFW)
- Detroit (KDTW)
- Fort Lauderdale (KFLL)
- Houston–Bush (KIAH)
- Las Vegas (KLAS)
- Miami (KMIA)
- Orlando (KMCO)
For more details about the hubs Spirit Airlines flies out of, we compiled a guide containing all the information you need to know about them.
Most Popular Flights for Spirit Airlines
The following flights are Spirits Airline’s most popular routes based on the number of flights offered per day.
- Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta
- Orlando to San Juan
- Orlando to New York (Newark)
- Dallas Fort Worth to Los Angeles
- Orlando to Detriot
- Orlando to Houston
- Orlando to Chicago
- Fort Lauderdale to New York
- Orlando to Philadelphia
- Las Vegas to Dallas Fort Worth
Spirit Airlines On-Time Performance
Spirit Airlines has some of the best on-time performance in the American domestic air travel market.
In 2022, the airline ranked 6th in on-time performance with 73% of all flights making it to their destinations on schedule. However, their record in 2022 is down from their 2019 ranking which was 4th amongst all American air carriers.
One of the reasons for Spirit’s excellent service record could be because their main hubs are located in Florida, which experiences some of the country’s more favorable weather (besides the occasional hurricane).
That means that planes don’t get stuck or delayed especially when they have a connecting flight elsewhere contrary to airlines that operate out of more adverse weather regions of the country.
Is Spirit Airlines A Safe Airline to Fly On?
Yes, Spirit is a safe airline to fly on. Air travel today can be considered one of the safest modes of transportation available. Airplanes are routinely inspected before each flight and pilots train for every scenario that can happen during a flight.
Spirit Airlines has experienced three notable, but nonlethal accidents since it was founded in 1980. They have experienced no passenger fatalities to date or have had any planes written off from passenger service.
To become a pilot for Spirit Airlines, you need to have 3000-4000 hours of total flying time and be type rated on the Airbus A320. If you are type rated on the Airbus A320, you can also fly on the Airbus A319 and the Airbus A321 since they are very similar aircraft.
With that said, the pilots are extremely knowledgeable about the Airbus aircraft systems and are more than capable of handling any potential flight danger thrown their way.
Your Weekend Travel Flight Reviews on Spirit Airlines
We had the privilege of traveling on Spirit Airlines on a flight from New York LaGuardia Airport to Detriot – Wayne Metropolitan Airport on an Airbus A321.
Check out our flight review to get a good sense of what to expect with flying on Spirit Airlines.
Your Weekend Travel Media on Spirit Airlines
Sources
https://seatguru.com/airlines/Spirit_Airlines/information.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_Airlines
https://www.flightconnections.com/route-map-spirit-airlines-nk
