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Spirit $9 fare club

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surf87

surf87

MIA
Joined
Apr 28, 2016
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674
Trips to Las Vegas
20
Has anyone here joined Spirit's $9 fare club and how is it working out for yout? For a $59 annual fee ($69 subsequent years), you get access to the $9 fares and 50% off baggage fee. I'm thinking of joining since I could probably recoup my $59 annual fee plus the $9 fares on my first round trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Any other trips thereafter within the year would be ice cream sundaes with cherries on top.
 
I cant speak for myself, only my brother. He makes the trip from ATL-CLE to see me every few months. He joined and saved enough to pay for the year in one trip to see me. Although its called the $9 fare club, I am not sure if they still have $9 fares. I think the cheapest he has paid RT to visit me is $44 though.
 
I did it for a year and then cancelled. It was OK if you fly enough to take advantage of it. Most of the time, I waited for deals that were generally the same as the $9 fare price. Also, if I go to the airport and purchase my tickets, I don't have to pay the passenger usage fee. $9 fare club prices aren't allowed at the airport, only online. For example Cleveland to Las Vegas $9 fare might be $59, so for my wife and I round trip would be $59x4=$236. Non $9 fare might be $65 so $65x4=$260. If I purchase at the airport, I save $71 passenger usage fee so $260-71=$189. That passenger usage fee is for 2 passengers from Cle to Las. The price will vary from city to city.
 
Is the "passenger usage fee" something attached to all airline tix or just to Spirit Airline tix?
 
Spirit. IIRC that's the charge for buying online instead of at an airport ticket counter.
 
I have yet to find a trip that I didn't save more money just by buying the ticket at the airport as opposed to any of the $9 fare prices that you have to buy online.
 
I have used this twice now and saved a ton from kansas city to vegas. nowhere have i found it cheaper to buy at the airport in the first trip we took 5 people and got round trip tickets with the $59 fee for $293. I just booked another round trip for 4 people $185. The baggage is high but we only take 2 day trips and being military I know how to pack 2 weeks of gear in a fanny pack lol
 
For you people that have flown them, how big do they consider the free personal item? Does a backpack that fits under the seat in front of me qualify? Are they like Allegiant and charge for printing boarding pass? How are the check in lines in Vegas? Lol, they have flights from Seattle for $98 round trip so I was thinking of just flying down for the weekend if I can do it without any add on's or too much hassle.
 
tatterdema said:
For you people that have flown them, how big do they consider the free personal item? Does a backpack that fits under the seat in front of me qualify? Are they like Allegiant and charge for printing boarding pass? How are the check in lines in Vegas? Lol, they have flights from Seattle for $98 round trip so I was thinking of just flying down for the weekend if I can do it without any add on's or too much hassle.
Click to expand...
The new Free size is 18"x14"x8"
Most airports have a kiosk to print free boarding passes for all airlines (Vegas does and MSP) so no need to pay spirit.
If you are not checking in a bag, you don't have to go to the Spirit counter at all.
If you check in online 24 hours before your flight, you can get your seats and print your boarding pass then. The upside of doing this (and letting them choose your seats) is that you most likely will get a window or aisle seat, the down side is that they give away the seats in the back of the plane first...hoping to sell the better seats to someone else. If you wait until the last minute you have a good chance of getting a middle seat. Personally, I check in 24 hours before to get a guaranteed aisle or window seat and plan to move to an open row when boarding because many flights are only partially booked. I usually end up with a exit row seat for free or a whole row to myself.

One personal item is included with a Bare Fare.


This is something like a laptop bag or purse smaller than 18"x14"x8". It used to be 16"x14"x12"

optional_services_2b_bags.png

You need to pay for any additional/larger bags.
 
Thank you Foos! It sounds doable then, similar but a little better than Allegiant. Lol, I have a canvas shopping bag that would meet those dimensions, and don't need to take a lot on a 2 day trip.

That is a weird change in dimensions for the bags!?!?
 
tatterdema said:
Thank you Foos! It sounds doable then, similar but a little better than Allegiant. Lol, I have a canvas shopping bag that would meet those dimensions, and don't need to take a lot on a 2 day trip.

That is a weird change in dimensions for the bags!?!?
Click to expand...
They took away 600 cubic inches of space or a cube of space 8.4"x8.4"x8.4"
that is a decent amount of space
 
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I am a $9 fare club member. The charge pretty much was a wash after factoring in the need to check 4 bags for our Vegas - CLE flight. It buys you lower bag fees. Fly again and you come out ahead on the deal. If you pay using your Spirit credit card you board in the 2nd group.

Still, if the total price is anything remotely close I would happily pay extra to fly a good airline like Southwest just because I hate how Spirit dimes and quarters people (inflation).

The reason offered for the carry on size change was the larger laptop cases. That's bullshit. It's so they can charge more, period.
 
I've flown Spirit 5 times from PHL to LAS. I've only flown on the big front seat. I wouldn't fly with them otherwise. When I factor in the extra cost for the seat and 2 bags each way, it's always cheaper then the legacy carriers. As far as the $9 club I just cancelled my subscription yesterday. Not sure when I'll be taking my next trip will be so I don't need it. The way I see it if you'll save more then $59 on your first trip it's a no brainer. Or if you know you'll be flying frequently. Not all the places they go have the $9 fare. It's actually more when you factor in taxes. But I flew last October and will be flying on Tuesday and I saved a total of about $300 on both flights including the $9 discount on checked bags. But if your new to Spirit and not checking in bags and there's no $9 fare to where you're traveling then don't bother. And if you print your boarding pass at home it's free, $10 at the airport.
 
Oh well, I bit. Ended up pricing out at $84 R/T. What I like is that the times are perfect for my work schedule. Hopefully they are on time. That is the only thing I can imagine going wrong that would make it a bad trip.
 
As for me, I haven't gotten onboard with this $9 fare club yet. As for being on time tatterdema, the few times I've flown them they were on time. I forget how they board but I think they did it by rows 20-30 first, then rows 10-20, then rows 0-10 (my memory fails me). Jet Blue does it something like this as well.
 
One more question on their baggage policy. I have a small backpack that is well under their measurements for "Personal Item". I want to pick a few things up while in Vegas. Can I take my backpack and also a plastic bag with a few items in it, or is that out. One time I got dinged by Allegiant for my carryon being 1" over, and charged $50 to check it. I don't want to be in that position again.
 
Tatterdema....I usually fly Spirit. A few trips ago I bought a whole bunch of bulky sweaters at Ross and they just would not fit in the suitcase. I carried them in a plastic bag when I went to fly home.....fully expecting to get charged for it, but the lady at check in just said "Don't worry about it" and let me go. Yay.
Just my experience......
 
Thanks Blonde! I planned to buy 3 cartons of cigarettes. I might be able to pack them a pack at a time into my backpack and pockets, but would be easier if they just let me carry them on in a plastic bag. Lol, I guess I will wait and see. This whole trip is just a test to see if Spirit works out for me financially. If I can get away with just traveling with my small backpack, I might be able to fly down every other weekend, haha.
 
Just wanted to follow up....
Everything went fine. No one even looked twice at my backpack, and it looked like there were a lot of backpacks even larger than mine. They might have paid for them as carry on, but I doubt it.
Now for the things that really matter, at least to me. Flight was a little early arriving both directions. Plane was clean and in good condition. Boarding was uncomplicated. Seats were as comfortable (or uncomfortable) as any other airline. Price rocked.

I will definitely fly them again. I did learn one thing though. The last 4 rows of the plane has smaller seats, and those horrible little flip down trays that are about the size of a paperback book, and a useless seatback pocket that is made up of bunji cords. I got one of those on my flight home. No big deal for me, but in the future, I will probably wait a half hour or so to check (instead of right at 24 hours) in hoping they give those away to someone else.
 
I paid the $59 bucks to join the $9 dollar club. I unsubscribed after my year was up.
Never did I see an actual $9 dollar fare or anything close.
Also, I think I just don't fly often enough to take full advantage of something like this.
I ended up using other airlines on a couple of trips just because the deals were cheaper,
despite being in the club.
 
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