Spirit Airlines is an airline that is laughed at by many and yet attracts a lot of passengers. The internet is full of memes about delays, lack of legroom, and passengers having to bring their own snacks, as even still water costs extra. On social media, the image of Spirit reflects a “flying school bus”, the last option for desperate travelers. Despite this reputation, the airline still attracts crowds of loyal passengers, who not only fly on it regularly but do it with a smile and pride.
In many cases, the memes posted about Spirit are not a form of sneer but a weird way of showing a sense of community. Behind the banana-yellow fuselage, there is more than just a bunch of uncomfortable seats; it’s an airline that has opened up cheap air travel for those who could not afford it before. Spirit’s frequent fliers do not only accept the airline’s imperfections but, in some interesting way, celebrate them. It’s not just a way to fly cheaply, but a symbol of belonging, wit, and defiance against the “major players” in the industry.
Hannah Finnie could be considered one of Spirit’s diehard fans. According to The Washington Post, she created a fan account on X, titled “That’s The Spirit.” The account was created in 2018, and according to Finnie, she’s trying to get it “to take off.”
It’s Cheap And That’s The Point
For Spirit Airlines, the price is king, in the sense that lower is better, of course. It is thanks to these low fares that passengers can hop on spontaneous trips, visit their families, or plan a wallet-friendly holiday. In a world where ticket prices can change from day to day, and cost arm and leg, Spirit serves a simple purpose – to provide transport from point A to point B at the lowest possible price. In a conversation with The Washington Post, a frequent flyer Julia Schreiber said:
“I have been able to do so much traveling and say yes to things I otherwise probably would not have been able to say yes to.”
The ultra-low-cost model, which is at Spirit’s core, works on the principle of “you pay for what you use.” This means that the basic ticket only includes a seat. Extras like baggage, specific seats, and even printed boarding passes are paid for separately. This approach, although sometimes criticized, allows the airline to offer tickets at very cheap prices, sometimes even cheaper than the trip from home to the airport itself! In exchange, passengers have more say in what they want and don’t want to pay for, making the experience more budget-friendly. Hannah Finnie, the founder of the “That’s the Spirit” social media account, highlighted “You get what you pay for … If you want a slightly nicer experience, either switch to another airline or just add on a feature. It’s pretty simple.”
According to studies done by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics last year, Spirit Airlines had the lowest base ticket price compared to all airlines in the United States, with an average of $101, while the national average amounted to $268. On the other hand, Hopper reports that Spirit offers 40% – 60% cheaper flights than the competition. For some, this makes Spirit not only the most logical but also the only possible choice, especially when the costs of life continue to grow.
Spirit’s Network Gets You Where You Need
For many, cheap prices are not the sole benefit of flying with the airline; there’s also the convenience. Spirit Airlines operates in many secondary or smaller airports that major carriers omit. Thanks to this, a lot of people living further away from the biggest towns or city centers get better access to flights without the need to go through traffic and sometimes very busy connecting roads.
Spirit has several operating bases in the country, with the main ones being Fort Lauderdale, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Las Vegas. Significant growth in recent years has also been seen in cities like Atlanta, Orlando, and even Los Angeles. The operator not only continues to expand on the most popular routes but also often takes over the routes that other carriers give up on. Unfortunately, at the beginning of 2025, Spirit had to slow down on its growth, cutting some of the capacity at its biggest airports.
According to Cirium, the leading aviation analytics company, the number of routes operated by Spirit has grown from 370 in 2019 to over 500 in 2024, having an average of almost 800 flights daily across 84 destinations. Examples of the most popular routes are Las Vegas – Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale – Newark, and Orlando – Philadelphia. The airline flights multiple times a day to the above destinations, allowing a good degree of flexibility for passengers.
Chaos Is Part Of The Experience
For loyal Spirit passengers, the chaos that often happens during flights and boarding is expected and, by some, considered part of the experience. Looking at trending social media content regarding Spirit, it is safe to say that flights are considered by many an adventure rather than a simple trip. With some commenting on it as “unpredictable, but amusing.”
On TikTok or Reddit there are subculture-like groups and trends centered around the “Spirit experience.” The hashtag #spiritairlines has millions of views with videos like “Gate Drama” getting unusually high engagement. The users comment on the videos saying that the process resembles a reality show rather than an airline. “Flying with Spirit is like a party, long before the plane even takes off,” says a Reddit user.
Many other viral videos talk about “surviving” the ultra-low-cost system and guide passengers on how to pack, avoid unnecessary fees, and which seats to book or extras to buy. For them, flying Spirit is not just chaos but also a little game with its own rules that can be won.
The Not-So-Secret Big Front Seat
In the world of budget travel, there are not many things praised and known as Spirit Airlines’s “Big Front Seat.” This is one of the ways the airline stands out from the competition, offering a more premium seat without a very premium price. This extra option doesn’t come with any special treatment or “business class” labels but simply offers a more comfortable experience with more legroom.
In practice, these are the seats located on the first row of the plane and are a bit wider and more cushioned. Despite not being extremely different from the standard seats, some passengers argue that they offer a more comfortable flight than some major airlines’ “business class.” As the comfort can be considered subjective, the price isn’t, as Spirit offers this for a fraction of the price compared to carriers like 
Delta Air Lines or 
American Airlines . Depending on the flight, the upgrade costs between $20 and $70. According to The Points Guy this offering is the best price-to-value relationship in all US aviation.
A lot of people praise this option on social media forums, with some Reddit users saying, “For me, this is a first-class seat without the service, which works great for me.” Others compare this to a “secret premium class” ideal for those wanting extra rest or the ability to work comfortably throughout the flight. Even sources like The Washington Post report passengers saying:
“Flying Spirit with a Big Front Seat is cheaper than Delta economy and I get 3x the legroom. What’s not to love?”
Spirit’s Fans Are More Than Just Passengers
Not everyone chooses Spirit Airlines because they have to, some choose it because they want to. The travel experience it offers can be called many names, like cheap or unpredictable, but at the same time interesting. As the social media trends have shown, Spirit Airlines attracts a lot of people who like to know what to expect, and later share this on the Internet.
Many groups grew around the airline and its operations on Discord, Facebook, Reddit, and TikTok, discussing memes, and situations and sharing funny videos with “hacks for Spirit” and personal stories. A lot of people call Spirit Airlines not just a carrier, but a “vibe.” The brand language, bright yellow colors, and the chaos that happens during boarding became a part of Spirit’s identity that is not only tolerated but even celebrated.
“Something is always happening on a Spirit flight and that’s the best part,” says a Reddit user. On Spirit’s Facebook fan groups, we can also find posts saying “When everything goes according to plan on Spirit, I feel like something’s wrong.” Even the airline’s vibrant colors and unhinged messaging became an inspiration for hundreds of memes and short videos, generating millions of likes and views.
How Spirit Influences The Future Of Low-Cost Travel In The US
Spirit Airlines is a serious contender in the US aviation market and has stayed afloat since its inception in 1983. Through the previous decades, it has significantly evolved, going through an unsuccessful merger with JetBlue, changing its fleet, and trying to find the right brand direction. Sprit’s position shows that the line between low-cost and traditional carriers has been blurred, as they were one of the first ones implementing significant cost-reduction strategies, and today many of these tactics are used by almost all airlines, including legacy carriers.
Passengers are often faced with a straightforward choice: low price or comfort. Data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows that low price is the preferred quality, even if that means fewer perks. Spirit’s fans show that cheap travel is not worse, it’s just different. The past days of aviation may have belonged to premium legacy carriers, but today and the future will most likely reward those for being able to balance effectiveness with price and comfort.
The airlines will increasingly need to find the golden means between simplifying travel and only offering a plain seat in an aircraft. In the meantime, Spirit Airlines is proving that loyalty is not only about points and perks but also about being a part of something, no matter how unconventional it may be.
