 As 2021 rolls on, you may be considering air travel within the United States or the Caribbean. Two of your carrier options are Spirit Airlines or Allegiant. Both will whisk you away to your next great escape! Today, I am comparing and discussing cheap flights on both.
I have flown on both airlines over the years and have never had an issue with either of them. My most recent trip was on Allegiant Airlines from NYC to The Great Smoky Mountains. But here are points to consider. Spirit Airlines is a larger airline than Allegiant Airlines. But they do compete for the same dollar, so that is why we are comparing the two. Let's start with the basic facts: Origin
Size of the Fleet
Destinations
Bag Fees
Before we go any further, deciding HOW you are going to get somewhere via flight can be a seemingly daunting task when it comes to price. But let’s demystify that for you. Let’s look at this idea from an airline’s perspective and then we will get to you. Revenue Management Revenue management is a big deal for airlines. What is the highest price an airline can charge for a seat? The sky's the limit! Let's use a quick analogy to answer. When you look at the produce section of a supermarket, an orange has a fast expiration date. It was picked off the tree, and now it’s ready for you to purchase. The grocer wants to charge as much as he or she can for that orange before throwing it away. Unless the commercial aviation industry radically changes the way they charge for seats, then think of every seat on every flight as a piece of rotting fruit. THAT seat on THAT day on THAT flight (or segment) is only going to exist once. If the flight takes off and a seat is empty, then it becomes a piece of fruit the airline makes no money on. Now let’s talk about you. You expressed an interest that you want a cheap flight to wherever you are going. Many factors contribute to the cost of an airline seat. These include, the specific airline, the on-board experience, the class of seat, where you are flying from and where you are going and how long it takes to get there. And finally, in some instances how far in advance you book and pay for these seats. For starters, in many cases getting the lowest or cheapest airfare has everything to do with where you live and what airport is your home airport. That’s where the word HUB comes into play or “cities of focus” or operating bases. To give you a clue, research online and check the number of gates an airline occupies at any given airport and then check to see how many flights depart from that airport or city per day. More gates and more flights equal more flexibility when things don’t go as planned. Hubs Why is it important to consider big hubs for the carrier? Because the more fights per day decreases the chances of issues on your air travel day. Issues such as missing your flight, weather delays, crew delays or airplane mechanical problems. Now let’s look at the value of your time. The longer it takes to get somewhere...the less you might pay. Airlines know through years of industry research; the flying public wants non-stop flights. That’s point A (the place you are flying from) to point B (your ultimate destination) without having to stop, or change planes. Therefore, a non-stop flight might be slightly more expensive than an itinerary with stops or connections. Also, the time of day you depart often affects the ticket price. For instance, a 6:00 a.m. departure might be cheaper than the more desirable 9:00 a.m. departure. Seating Given all that, let’s get back to Spirit vs. Allegiant. Both airlines have one class of seating with the exception of Spirit which offers “the big seat up front”. Both charge for your seat assignment. The better the seat, the higher the price. Amenities Both airlines offer snacks and soft drinks inflight. Both have entertainment options and both offer a frequent flier mileage program. Finding Deals
Playing The Game Both of these airlines want you to communicate with them on their terms. In other words, they want you to sign up for their loyalty program. They want you to book through their website and on their App. They want you to make purchases in advance (that’s where some of the cost savings come from). They want you to check in online (or through their App) and they want to communicate with you via text message or email. The more you participate, the more likely you are to have a worry-free flight experience. A Word of Caution Low cost carriers (such as these) are just that. They are NOT less-safe than a larger airline. They are regulated just as much as other carriers by the FAA and the DOT. It means they have less room to maneuver in the event of a travel disruption by them, the weather or you. In some cases, the fare may be cheap, but that's the only flight of the day. If it gets cancelled then you’re out of luck for that day. I fly on low cost carriers about once a month and rarely have worrisome incidents. But I do have my eyes WIDE open. Keep in mind, this information is for educational purposes only and contains editorial opinion by yours truly. Facts contained here may change without notice. We try to keep up with the changes, but I strongly encourage you to do your own research before making travel purchases. Happy travels!
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 My travel snowflakes, travel normalcy is on the horizon in 2021 and you may be considering Southwest Airlines or Alaska airlines to whisk you away to your next great escape! Today, I am comparing and discussing cheap flights on both.
I have flown on both airlines over the years and have never had an issue with either of them. My most recent trip was on Alaska Airlines from NYC to Los Angeles. But here are points to consider. Southwest Airlines is a much larger airline than Alaska Airlines. But they do compete for the same dollar, so that is why we are comparing the two. Let's start with the basic facts: Origin
Size of the Fleet
Southwest’s entire fleet consists of all Boeing jets while Alaska’s fleet is a mix of Boeing and Airbus. Bombardier Embraer jets are operated by Horizon Air. Destinations
Bag Fees
Before we go any further, deciding HOW you are going to get somewhere via flight can be a seemingly daunting task when it comes to price. But let’s demystify that for you. Let’s look at this idea from an airline’s perspective and then we will get to you. Revenue Management Revenue management is a big deal for airlines. What is the highest price an airline can charge for a seat? The sky's the limit! Let's use a quick analogy to answer. When you look at the produce section of a supermarket, an orange has a fast expiration date. It was picked off the tree, and now it’s ready for you to purchase. The grocer wants to charge as much as he or she can for that orange before throwing it away. Unless the commercial aviation industry radically changes the way they charge for seats, then think of every seat on every flight as a piece of rotting fruit. That seat on that day on that flight (or segment) is only going to exist once. If the flight takes off and a seat is empty, then it becomes a piece of fruit the airline makes no money on. Now let’s talk about you. You expressed an interest that you want a cheap flight to wherever you are going. Many factors contribute to the cost of an airline seat. These include, the specific airline, the on-board experience, the class of seat, where you are flying from and where you are going and how long it takes to get there. And finally, in some instances how far in advance you book and pay for these seats. For starters, in many cases getting the lowest or cheapest airfare has everything to do with where you live and what airport is your home airport. That’s where the word HUB comes into play or “cities of focus” or operating bases. To give you a clue, research online and check the number of gates an airline occupies at any given airport and then check to see how many flights depart from that airport or city per day. More gates and more flights equal more flexibility when things don’t go as planned. Hubs The top five hubs for Southwest include Chicago Midway, Baltimore, MD, Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas Love Field. Alaska's hubs include Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Anchorage and Los Angeles area. Why is this important? Because the more fights per day decreases the chances of issues on your air travel day. Issues such as missing your flight, weather delays, crew delays or airplane mechanical problems. Now let’s look at the value of your time. The longer it takes to get somewhere...the less you might pay. Airlines know through years of industry research; the flying public wants non-stop flights. That’s point A (the place you are flying from) to point B (your ultimate destination) without having to stop, or change planes. Therefore, a non stop flight might be slightly more expensive than an itinerary with stops or connections. Also, the time of day you depart often affects the ticket price. For instance, a 6:00 a.m. departure might be cheaper than the more desirable 9:00 a.m. departure. Seating Given all that, let’s get back to Southwest vs. Alaska. Southwest has one class of seating. Alaska has two cabin seating (First Class or Business Class and Economy). On Southwest, they have an open seating policy. Each passenger is assigned a letter and you board by letter and take any seat you wish. Alaska offers a more traditional seating arrangement whereby you select your seat, or one is assigned to you before you board. Amenities Both airlines offer snacks and soft drinks inflight. Alaska offers full meals on some longer flights and Southwest offers a larger variety of snacks on their longer flights. Both have entertainment options and both offer a frequent flier mileage program. Finding Deals
Keep in mind, this information is for educational purposes only and contains editorial opinion by yours truly. Facts contained here may change without notice. We try to keep up with the changes, but I strongly encourage you to do your own research before making travel purchases. Happy travels! Erik  This past Monday, I took my first commercial flight since the start of this pandemic...and guess what? It was fine. Now let’s be clear. In the US, most domestic flights are six hours or shorter. My flight was 90 minutes wheels up to touchdown. It was in a non-stop flight from Newark Liberty to McGhee Tyson (Knoxville, TN) on board an Allegiant A320. In short, the flight, service, crew interaction and actual flying went even smoother than I had expected. So here’s the rundown.
 The commercial airline industry (or as I like to call it, the world's collective punching bag) is not an easy business to be in especially when it comes to flight delays. According to most recent data, over 44,000 flights are handled by the FAA domestically each day. With over 16.1 million flights handled by them yearly. That’s a lot of take off and landings. Many of these flights are delayed or in some cases canceled altogether, for a number of reasons. Flight cancellations and airport delays are rare in the big scheme of things. Here are a few of the major factors that cause flight delays or cancellations. They are presented in no particular order.
 From time to time the general public can be pretty critical of the airlines. There are thousands of flights on dozens of airlines each day, so, of course, some of the criticism is warranted. However, there are times when an airline goes above and beyond for a passenger and THAT is how you build brand loyalty. Let me tell you about my day...
 AirlineRatings.com just released its top 20 safest airlines in the world for 2020. I’ve decided to highlight the top ten because, let's face it...your time is valuable.
Incidentally, according to their site, Airlineratings.com delivers expert safety ratings for more than 435 airlines around the world. 230 of the airlines featured on their site carry 99 percent of the world’s passengers. And in case you were wondering, according to a quick google search, there are about 5,000–5,500 airlines in the world, as this is the number ICAO/IATA airline codes in current circulation. In terms of commercial airlines, there are between 770 and 800 commercial airlines globally operating scheduled flights (that are officially recognized). You can read more about how their scoring and rating criteria which generated this list with the link below.  Two of the giants in the air American Airlines and Delta Airlines have plenty to offer travelers, but have you stopped to think and compare them? There are more factors to consider than flight prices and the convenience of direct flights (nonstops) offered. Let’s put the numbers, flight amenities, alliances, sheer number of destinations and actual number of planes side by side for a closer analysis of two of the most dominant airlines. American Airlines is the world’s largest airline with headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas and boasts flights to 350 destinations. This doesn’t include their regional airline American Eagle and its seven individual airlines, with flights to 242 destinations. Compare that to Delta Airlines, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and flights to 241 destinations, 328 if you include their regional carrier Delta Connection. Both airlines have loyalty programs that offer frequent passengers a number of perks. Not only can American Airlines’ AAdvantage members earn miles, they can also take advantage of upgrades, no blackout dates, the ability to buy gifts or share miles, and have access to the Oneworld Alliance (American has alliances with 23 airlines). On the contrary, over at Delta, their SkyMiles loyalty program offers miles that never expire, rewards at every level, no cap on miles earned, and the ability to earn miles with their 20-plus partner airlines. American leads when it comes to the number of aircrafts with 965 while Delta has 764. With regards to baggage fees, both offer the first carry on for free. The second bag will cost you $30 domestically and $60 internationally with American, while Delta charges $30 for the second bag under 50 pounds. Here’s the lowdown on onboard experiences, meaning entertainment, food, and classes of service: American has seven classes of service and they include...
Delta has seven classes of service and they include...
That’s a rundown of comparisons between the two giants to help you make an informed decision according to your travel plans and needs. Next time you book a flight, know what’s available then take off on your next adventure. Bon Voyage! P.S. Explore how to pick the best airline mile programs with yours truly! 
With the recent and sudden demise of "Wow Air", I thought I drop a quick note about flying with low cost airlines. Low cost carriers can be found all over the globe. Are they cheap airlines? Yes and no. Recently, the industry has gotten even more specific with the moniker of "ultra low cost" carriers. But for purposes of this article, I am focusing on American low cost carriers. So please read on if you are considering booking a ticket on any low cost carrier worldwide. Like every other purchase, there are pros and cons to flying with any airline and flying with one of these carriers is no different. Defining a low cost carrier is not exactly easy. But for now, I'll use the Wikipedia definition. "A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline (occasionally referred to as no-frills, budget or discount carrier, and abbreviated as LCC) is an airline that is operated with an especially high emphasis on minimizing operating costs and without some of the traditional services and amenities provided in the fare, resulting in lower fares and fewer comforts. To make up for revenue lost in decreased ticket prices, the airline may charge extra fees – such as for carry-on baggage. As of July 2014, the world's largest low-cost carrier is Southwest Airlines, which operates in the United States and some surrounding areas". Okay, let's start with a general consensus of low cost airlines operating in and around the US. Low cost airlines list:
I have flown on every single one of these carriers. Offering a critique might be as useful as an expensive orange peeler. I say this because every single one of these airlines I've flown has taken off and landed in the place I was going. Simple as that. Low cost carriers are capitalizing on consumers desires to go from point A to point B with no frills. But low cost carriers are competing for your business, not just with the legacy carriers (AA, United, Delta), they're also competing with other low cost carriers. Therefore, each low cost carrier is just a little different and the devil is in the details. Some charge for snacks and drinks others do not. Some have different seating configurations, boarding priority schemes while others do not. The key here is to think about what's important to you. All of these low-cost carriers have mobile apps and direct booking sites. Some have better customer service than others. But it’s important to note; if you select one of these carriers, then you are accepting the risk of flying with them. Not usually a safety risk. Low-cost carriers don't crash or have more mechanical problems than others just because they are low cost. The same, basic functionality of a low cost carrier is the same as the big carriers. They are governed by the same government agencies as well. The risk I'm talking about has everything to do with the number of aircraft the low cost carrier owns and the number of flights they offer per day in their departure and arrival cities or towns. I fly on low cost airlines about 30% of the time because 70% of my travel these days is work-related. Often time, low cost carriers have limited schedules. Not always, but when I travel for work, I need a lot of options. So this is my cautionary warning, when flying on a low cost carrier, lower your expectations. I don't mean to sound persnickety or elitist, I'm simply reminding you, the business model is different on a low cost carrier. Once again, read the fine print and know what the cost of your ticket includes (and what it doesn't). On a related note, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the low cost carriers that fly (seasonally and/or year round) to and from your home airport. Deals can be found if you have some advanced warning and regardless of your airline of choice, respect your travel days and treat as such! Happy Flying! Erik PS. For quick tips on airport car parking and airport arrival time and check out these videos:
 Recently, I was flying from New York City to Nashville and was enjoying my "TSA Pre Check" expedited line. At the moment of truth (the X ray machine), I noted the screeners were asking passengers to remove snacks from their bags and place them in those convenient grey bins. I honestly didn't think much of it. First the shoes, the liquids, the laptops, the outerwear and NOW they've come for the snacks. However, this happened again at another airport a couple of days later so I decided to do some digging.
Here's a Washington Post article highlighting some of the hand-ringing. This is NOT a new policy. It was a recommendation made by the TSA to its airports and screeners in an effort to avoid a manual, time-consuming search. Apparently the X Ray machines have a hard time deciphering a plastic explosive from a protein bar. And, if you stop to think about it, it makes sense. However, the public's response has been less-than understanding. I spoke with Lisa Farbstein from the the TSA and the recommendation seems pretty straight-forward. "As part of its counter terrorism efforts, TSA continuously enhances and adjusts security screening procedures to stay ahead of evolving threats. TSA’s top priority is to protect the traveling public, and every policy and security procedure in place is designed to mitigate threats to passengers and the aviation sector – which we know our adversaries continue to target. Adjustments to screening procedures are a necessary part of operations and TSA does so in the most efficient and effective way possible while maintaining a positive passenger experience." I say, let it go. The TSA is responsible for keeping us safe in the the airport and on planes. They have to stay one step ahead of the evil-doers. Their polices recommendations and practices are not arbitrary. As a matter of fact (according to the TSA), The TSA screens more than TSA screens 4.9 million carry-on items for explosives and other prohibited items every day! My flights are usually North American which means I don't carry a lot of (or any other than mints and gum) "snacks" through security. The same goes for when I travel with my children...who seem to snack on an almost constant basis. If you must fly with snacks, I suggest you purchase them on the plane or at the airport after security. Some in the travel industry refer to the time we spend after security and before you board your plane "the golden hour". If you MUST bring them from home, place all snacks in a clear zip lock bag for easy removal and placement in a bin. No need to fret, contemplate or complain on Social Media, its just a safety precaution. My two cents. Erik  The journey (and getting a good deal on a flight) can be just as important as the destination. Greetings my fellow travel buddies...this week we’re discussing cheap flights. Two ultra low-cost carriers Southwest vs. Jet Blue Airways are the subject de jour.
Southwest Airlines is a much larger airline than Jet Blue. But they do compete for the same dollar, so that is why we are comparing the two. Let's start with the basic facts: Size of the Fleet
Destinations
Bag Fees
Before we go any further, deciding HOW you are going to get somewhere via flight can be a seemingly daunting task when it comes to price. But let’s demystify that for you. Let’s look at this idea from an airline’s perspective and then we will get to you. Revenue Management Revenue management is a big deal for airlines. What is the highest price an airline can charge for a seat? Let's use a quick analogy to answer. When you look at the produce section of a supermarket, an orange has a fast expiration date. It was picked off the tree, and now it’s ready for you to purchase. The grocer wants to charge as much as he or she can for that orange before throwing it away. Unless the commercial aviation industry radically changes they way they charge for seats, then think of every seat on every flight as a piece of rotting fruit. That seat on that day on that flight (or segment) is only going to exist once. If the flight takes off and a seat is empty, then it becomes a piece of fruit the airline makes no money on. Now let’s talk about you. You expressed an interest that you want a cheap flight to wherever you are going. Many factors contribute to the cost of an airline seat. These include, the specific airline, the on-board experience, the class of seat, where you are flying from and where you are going and how long it takes to get there. And finally, in some instances how far in advance you book and pay for these seats. For starters, in many cases getting the lowest or cheapest airfare has everything to do with where you live and what airport is your home airport. That’s where the word HUB comes into play or “cities of focus” or operating bases. To give you a clue, research online and check the number of gates an airline occupies at any given airport and then check to see how many flights depart from that airport or city per day. More gates and more flights equal more flexibility when things don’t go as planned. Hubs The top five hubs for Southwest include Chicago Midway, Baltimore, MD, Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas Love Field. While Jet Blue’s top cities include JFK in New York, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Logan airport in Boston, Long Beach in California, San Juan Puerto Rico and Orlando, Florida. Why is this important, because the more fights per day on the airline you choose from the place you’re flying from and to decreases the chances of issues on your air travel day. Issues such as missing your flight, weather delays, crew delays or airplane mechanical problems. Now let’s look at the value of your time. The longer it takes to get somewhere...the less you might pay. Airlines know through years of industry research; the flying public wants direct flights. That’s point A (the place you are flying from) to point B (your ultimate destination) without having to stop, or change planes. Therefore, a direct flight might be slightly more expensive than an itinerary with stops or connections. Also, the time of day you depart often affects the ticket price. For instance, a 6:00 a.m. departure might be cheaper than the more desirable 9:00 a.m. departure. Seating Given all that, let’s get back to Southwest vs. Jet Blue. Southwest has one class of seating. Jet Blue was also built on this premise. However, on some longer Jet Blue flights you’ll find premium or business class seating. They call it Mint. On Southwest, they have an open seating policy. Each passenger is assigned a letter and you board by letter and take any seat you wish. Jet Blue has a more traditional seating arrangement whereby you select your seat, or one is assigned to you before you board. Amenities Both airlines offer complimentary snacks and soft drinks. Both charge for alcoholic beverages and Jet Blue offers additional in-flight snacks for purchase on some flights. Both airlines have in-flight entertainment options. And both have frequent flyer programs. Jet Blue has code share agreements with a long list of international carries while Southwest does not. Finding Deals
We announced last week that while the staff here at Erik The Travel Guy takes lots of trips, to help bring you the latest and greatest info, we want you to be a part of the selection process. You can vote at erikthetravelguy.com/vote or leave a comment on this video in the comments below. Keep in mind, this information is for educational purposes only and contains editorial opinion by yours truly. Facts contained here may change without notice. We try to keep up with the changes, but I strongly encourage you to do your own research before making travel purchases. Happy travels! |
AuthorI am on a mission to get you traveling more often. As the host of the Emmy award- winning, nationally syndicated television television for PBS and the Create channel, "Beyond Your Backyard," I travel (on average) 25 weeks per year. I am very grateful for the opportunity to meet cool people, experience new places, eat delicious food and work with the best production crew in the world. Hopefully, through this blog, you will join me on my travels and be reminded just how exciting it is to be alive! Categories
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MEET ERIK THE TRAVEL GUY
Erik Hastings, a.k.a. Erik the Travel Guy is an EMMY award-winning television personality who speaks directly to consumers who can't afford to "get their vacations wrong". He is the host and managing editor of the internationally syndicated television series "Beyond Your Backyard" for public broadcasting stations (PBS) and other networks/VOD platforms. Erik The Travel Guy is also host of the new podcast, Erik The Travel Guy - The Podcast. He leads an incredibly talented team of industry pros and is the editorial driving force of his platform. While the travel industry directly supports millions of families worldwide, Erik believes travel makes the world a better place. Through exploration and discovery, he has learned that travel brings cultures together and he eagerly shares that spirit with his viewers. Read Erik's Full Bio.
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