Those “low fares” are indeed where Spirit makes most of its money from unsuspecting fliers who are either unaware of the hidden fees or who are caught in a desperate transaction where they have little or no choice but to pay the fee. According to a recent Time magazine article, the base cost of Spirit’s flights rose 15.3% compared to the third quarter of 2012, reaching an average of $83 per flight.
And the extra charges are known as “ancillary fees”— which means anything outside of the cost of the ticket itself, have increased 5.2%, or $52 per flight, according to both the report and Time. They include fees for baggage, seat reservation, food, and more—were up 5.2%, hitting $52 per flight. This means that the average Spirit passenger is paying more than $100 in optional fees for round-trip travel on a so-called “low cost” airline.
The fee formula is proving to be a real revenue earner for all major airliners. One study, from IdeaWorks, predicts that ancillary revenues will peak close to $42.6 billion worldwide in 2013 for airlines, an increase from $36.1 billion a year ago.
From the Wall Street Journal, Time magazine and Spirit Airlines direct, here are some tips to save on your next flight with Spirit:
– Book on Spirit.com. This will save you $10 or more than booking on the telephone or through a third-party website.
– Don’t check your bags. Spirit charges range from $30 to $100 for checked and carry-on bags.
– Make sure your bag fits under your seat. Otherwise, be prepared to get hit with a $100 fee from Spirit.
– Bring only one carry-on bag. The fee for a second carry-on is again a hefty $100.