Spirit Airlines vs. Allegiant Airlines

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

• Spirit AirlinesAirlines was established (under a different name) in 1964 and in 1992 changed its name and became Spirit Airlines.
• Allegiant was founded in 1997 and is certified by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as a "Scheduled Air Carrier" with authority to fly scheduled and charter airline operations throughout the U.S. The Company also has authority for charter service to Canada and Mexico.

Size of the Fleet

• Spirit operates 157 aircraft
• Allegiant operates 107 aircraft
• Both airlines only operate Airbus aircraft 

Destinations

• As of March 2, 2021, Spirit flies to about 75 destinations worldwide with year-round and seasonal service
• As of March 2, 2021, Allegiant serves approximately 126 destinations in year-round and seasonal service

Bag Fees

• Both Spirit and Allegiant charge for checked baggage per ticketed customer, size and weight limitations apply

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

• You can find Spirit fares listed on major travel aggregators such as Kayak and online travel agencies such as Expedia. You can also book directly with Spirit on their website.
• Allegiant’s fares can only be found and booked on their website.

   
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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