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Sure, we’ve all seen the $40 round trip flights to Florida and have been tempted. Do we really want to fly that budget airline though? Aren’t the seats cramped? And we have to pay extra for luggage? And drinks??
We’ve all been there. Suddenly your $40 trip to Florida turns into a $200 affair. The good news is that it doesn’t always have to be that way! I personally love flying budget airlines. Once you figure out their little quirks, I’m thinking you’ll love them too.
Pick Your Travel Dates Wisely
Now if you’re flying in for a special event or have limited days off of work, this one may not be for you. However, if you can be a little flexible in your travels, it may make sense to fly out a day earlier or a day later if the flights are cheaper. Usually (not always!) prices drop significantly on midweek arrivals and departures. Make sure when you book you trip, you check a couple days before and after if you can be flexible- it might just save you some cash.
Look at Alternative Airports
You’d be surprised at the different airports budget airlines will often fly out of. When most people book their flights, they tend to check for flights out of their nearest major airport. If you have a smaller airport in the area, however, it’s definitely worth seeing if any budget airlines fly to that location.
Usually in the smaller airports there will only be one flight per day (or per week) to a particular destination. The trade off is short security wait times and no running around a large airport trying to get to your gate.
For my upcoming trip to Orlando, I was unhappy about the flight times out of Cleveland and Pittsburgh (Mickey is waiting for me people!). Luckily Spirit also flies in and out of Akron, OH and Latrobe, PA, both of which had more acceptable flight times for actually cheaper than the major airports.
Consider Sharing a Bag
Sam and I are pros at this one. Consider sharing bags with one (or more!) of your travel companions to save money. Now this used to be a lot bigger deal when major airlines were allowing bags to fly free. Now it seems that most major airlines are charging baggage fees. In fact, one of the major drawbacks for flying on a budget airline used to be your bags cost you as much as your ticket. Now this is to be expected to matter what airline you’re flying.
In order to save money, try to consolidate packing into one large suitcase. Sam and I have packed for a full week in one suitcase before and- trust me- if we can do it anyone can. I will fully admit that I’m not always the lightest packer in the world. I am however highly motivated by saving $50 in baggage fees :). Click here to see how I packed light for my last trip to an all inclusive in Mexico!
A word of caution. If you do decide to combine luggage, make sure you’re checking your airline’s baggage weight policy. While many airlines have adopted a 50 pound limit on domestic flights, some of the budget airlines limit to 40 pounds . UPDATE: Spirit Airlines announced in June 2024 it is raising it’s baggage allowance to 50 pounds!
Do Your Work Ahead of Time
In the budget airline world, it’s always best to do everything you can to prepare for your trip ahead of time. This includes prepaying for bags and checking in to your flight while you’re still at home to avoid any extra fees.
When flying budget, it’s always best to prepay for any baggage prior to getting to the airport. Once you get to the airport, baggage fees are often much higher than the prepay amount.
It’s also important to note that most budget airlines do not allow a free carry on bag. In fact, I always recommend checking any baggage as it is cheaper than purchasing a carryon. You will be allowed one person item (think purse, laptop case, etc) but be sure to check size limits prior to your trip. I have definitely gotten away with larger personal items before but I have also seen people get called out and made to purchase a carry on bag. Trust me, its awkward and stressful- you do not want this to happen to you.
Another way to save from any unexpected expenses at the airport is to check in to your flight prior to leaving for the airport. Spirit Airlines, for one example, will charge you a $10 fee to check you in and print out your boarding pass at the airport. As you can imagine, this adds up fast if you’re traveling with a group. Check in at home and either print out your boarding pass or have it available on your phone in order to save yourself some cash.
Be Ok With Sitting By Yourself
One of the biggest extra costs on budget airlines (and now some major airlines as well) is seat selection. It will usually cost you anywhere from $15-$100 each leg of your trip to select your seats for your flight. If you don’t select your seats, your seat will be assigned for you upon check in.
Now I do understand that in some cases you may want to fork over the extra money and pay to select your seat. On long flights in particular, Sam and I always pre pick our seats so we can sit together. If we have a tight layover or just want some extra room, we often select seats in the very front of the plane.
For shorter flights we don’t pay the extra fee to select our seats. And actually, we usually end up either sitting together or very close to each other anyway. If you do end up separated from your traveling companions, you can always ask other passengers to switch seats with you. Keep in mind, some people have paid to sit in a certain seat so understandably they may not want to switch with you.
Bring Your Own Drink Service
One of the most well known annoyances about budget airlines is that they don’t provide free drinks or snacks. They do have items for purchase in flight at quite the up-charge. I would suggest bringing any drinks or snacks you might need on board with you. Keep in mind, you can’t bring your own alcohol on the plane with you. Unless you’re my husband who to my amusement didn’t know this and somehow managed to drink a whole beer from the airport without anyone (including me) noticing. If you’re set on having a cocktail do like we do- bring your own mixer kit and just purchase the alcohol on the flight!
Consider a Credit Card
Looking for an influx of airline points to upgrade your seats or get free flights? Consider an airline credit card. While most airlines offer free points for signing up for their credit cards, budget airlines usually offer the most bang for your buck. Because prices on flights are usually cheaper, your bonus miles are going to get your further.
For example, currently Spirit Airlines is offering 15,000 miles after your first purchase with your new card plus an additional 15,000 miles if you spend $500 in the first 90 days. Since one way flights start at 2,500 miles that could equal quite a few free flights.
Keep in mind, this is only really a deal if you’re paying your card off every month. Interest can add up quickly if you’re carrying a balance. Sam and I like to put all of our monthly purchases on our card and pay it off at the end of the month to really collect those miles.
What other tips do you have for traveling budget airlines? Make sure you let us know in the comments below.
