Watching Spirit Airlines make changes sometimes feels like witnessing someone rearrange deck chairs on the Titanic. When they announced a renaming of their fare bundles, I initially thought it was just another superficial tweak. But after digging a bit deeper, I found there’s more to it. Spirit has actually removed one bundle and altered another. This move is a bit puzzling to me. Back in August 2024, Spirit introduced four fare brands: Go, Go Savvy, Go Comfy, and Go Big. Each offered a different level of service, from basic unbundled fares to a domestic First Class experience with their Big Front Seat. This tiered system was a clever way to encourage passengers to upgrade.
Now, Go Savvy is gone, and the fare structure has shifted. The new setup waives change fees for higher-tier fares, and Premium Economy now includes a carry-on bag but no longer a checked bag. Interestingly, you can now add a carry-on to the Value fare, which wasn’t possible before without upgrading to Go Savvy. I checked fares for October 15, expecting low prices, and found that upsell costs are inconsistent and not based on distance. For instance, the upsell from Value to Premium Economy ranged from $50 on short flights like Orange County to Oakland, to $110 on Houston to New Orleans. Meanwhile, the jump from Premium Economy to Spirit First varied from $40 on Fort Lauderdale to Orlando, to a whopping $290 on Tampa to Las Vegas.
Spirit’s decision to simplify the brand names makes sense. The previous names like Go Comfy and Go were confusing. Now, with Value, Premium Economy, and Spirit First, it’s clearer what each fare offers. However, I’m left wondering why they didn’t just go with a straightforward naming convention like Value/Basic, Economy, Premium, and Spirit First. Eliminating the second bundle seems counterintuitive, creating a larger gap between fare options. It’s a bold move, but whether it pays off remains to be seen.
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Originally reported by Cranky Flier Read More
