I have flown on seven of the eight US low-cost carriers, but am comparing five of the more apples-to-apples options.
JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines have extra comforts not offered by others.
I see the pros and cons of budget airlines but I think each has its own perks that make it worth flying.
Low-cost carriers have become a strong force in the US aviation industry, ditching the hub-and-spoke model for point-to-point routes and bringing fares down in competitive markets.Allegiant Air
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Defunct carrier Pacific Southwest Airlines was the first budget airline in the US, and dozens of others launched after the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 prompted more competition.Passengers boarding a PSA aircraft in 1971. Pacific Southwest Airlines existed before the similarly named Southwest Airlines known today — but they are not the same. Southwest actually copied the business model of Pacific Southwest, which pioneered the low-cost strategy.)
While many have failed, eight still stand today, including Allegiant Air, Avelo Airlines, Breeze Airways, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines.An Avelo Airlines Boeing 737-800.
Over the years, I've flown on seven of these eight carriers — only missing Sun Country — but for the sake of this comparison, I am going to omit Southwest and JetBlue.
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Although their fares are still competitive and they are both considered low-cost, the products have become full-service — more than what is usually expected of a budget airline.Southwest Airlines planes.
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Comparing newcomers Avelo and Breeze alongside Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant is more apples-to-apples. Here are my thoughts about these five carriers.Flying on Spirit from New York to Miami.
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When it comes to Spirit and Frontier, the products are nearly the same — both are equally no-frills with hard seats, minimal legroom, bag fees, and no free snacks or drinks.
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Granted, Spirit's "Big Front Seat" is lacking on Frontier. But, I've flown in the lounger, which can cost as much as $80+ one-way, and don't find it worth the money.Frontier has its own version of "premium seating" which comes with more legroom, a better tray table, and recline, but it isn't a huge arm chair like Spirit's.
Where the two do really differ is network and reliability.The conditions are really not as unbearable as they may seem, but I highly suggest taller travelers pay extra for more legroom. And, bring snacks for longer flights so you don't have to pay for them onboard.
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While Spirit is bigger, both airlines have extensive route maps stretching across the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Spirit also flies to Central and South America.Spirit started rapidly expanding out of Miami in 2021, with dozens of options available.
In my opinion, Spirit has better low-cost options to international destinations because the carrier flies to interesting places like Bogota, Colombia, and Lima, Peru.On a recent flight, I spent $24 on a snack box, diet soda, and alcoholic drink.
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Frontier has a stronger domestic presence, going toe-to-toe with the Big Four airlines — Delta, American, United, and, Southwest — in large cities like Denver and Atlanta.
In terms of reliability, some may be surprised to hear that Spirit actually performed better in 2022 than both Southwest and JetBlue with a 73.18% on-time performance rate, according to OAG data.Southwest Airlines passengers stand around dozens of bags during the carrier's December 2022 meltdown.
Southwest and JetBlue ended the year with a rate of 71.61% and 63.90%, respectively. Frontier was between the two with 66.18%, so, based on the numbers, Spirit is more reliable overall.JetBlue and Southwest aircraft.
Because both are so similar, choosing which one to fly — assuming both are on the same route — comes down to fare, and I factor in add-on costs. According to Nerd Wallet, Frontier's fees are an average of $2-$8 more than Spirit's.Sometimes I'll pay more for a better flight time if it's absolutely necessary for things like a wedding or a tour, but typically that is not a dealbreaker for me.
However, I have sometimes found that adding a carry-on is actually more expensive than booking Delta's basic economy fare, which includes a free carry-on. So, don't forget to pay attention to bag costs.At the time of writing, a roundtrip flight on Spirit from Las Vegas to Detroit in mid-March is $448, carry-on bags included. The same trip on Delta (pictured) is $498 with carry-ons — so $50 more per person for the added comforts.
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Having launched in April 2021, Avelo is slowly starting to prove itself as its network grows. It has launched operations in Wilmington, Delaware, the only US state that previously had zero airline service.Avelo plane at Wilmington Airport on October 20.
Having flown on the carrier, the product is similar to Spirit and Frontier, so I can expect minimal comfort. And, its small fleet can be a risk because if anything goes wrong — like maintenance — it can be more difficult to get back on schedule.Inside the cabin of an Avelo 737-800.
Avelo Airlines
But, so far, Avelo has impressed me and I love that it has based itself in New Haven, Connecticut — conveniently situated in the middle of the three most populated counties in the state.Avelo Airlines 737-700 at Tweed-New Haven Airport.
Those in the south of the state — like myself — have historically had to trek an hour or more to airports around New York City or to Hartford in Northern Connecticut.New Haven airport is 42 miles from Hartford and 82 miles from New York-JFK.
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New Haven is much closer to my house, so I'm looking forward to the carrier's expansion and appreciate the current routes, like Orlando and Nashville.Flying on the first flight of Avelo Airlines.
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I think Avelo has added a great option to those in Connecticut and Delaware. But, I still can't cross the US nonstop, and customers have to live near a base to really benefit from the airline.I find the airline has a limited network and connecting to big cities like Atlanta, or national parks like Yosemite, is not an option. Its bases are in Orlando, New Haven, Raleigh, Wilmington, and Burbank.
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On the other hand, Allegiant has a pretty vast network, but it is just like the others — no-frills, add-on fees for everything, and cheap fares. But, it has certain traits that make you either love them or hate them.While Allegiant has a large network, it goes to a lot of niche cities with smaller populations.
For me, if you live near a small or midsized airport and love outdoor getaways — Allegiant is a great option. In fact, the carrier performed better than expected during the pandemic because people wanted an outdoor adventure but money was tight.The author on a nonstop Allegiant flight from Las Vegas to Yellowstone National Park in 2018 — a route not served by other carriers, making Allegiant's offering a much easier way to access Yellowstone.
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Airlines like Delta and United didn't have this advantage because they relied on business and international travel for revenue.A Delta plane.
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For me, I can take flights from the New York City area directly to places like Knoxville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina — both cool destinations with easy access to the Great Smokey Mountains.The author flew nonstop from Las Vegas to Bellingham, Washington, which has access to both Vancouver and Seattle.
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A mainline carrier would likely be a lot more expensive and require a layover in a hub airport.A United Airlines plane landing at San Francisco International Airport.
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However, Allegiant may not have routes available for city lovers or those looking for a Caribbean getaway — destinations easier to find on Spirit or Frontier. But, the carrier's biggest downfall is its abysmal reliability.An Allegiant flight attendant.
David Becker/AP
In 2022, the carrier had the worst on-time performance of any US airline at 66.49%. This is my main concern when flying Allegiant, so I always budget extra travel time for disruptions — or avoid the carrier completely if I can afford it and the route is sensible.Allegiant Air
Of all five airlines, I think Breeze has the most comfortable cabin. And, the network has been rapidly expanding in its nearly two years of service, taking on the Airbus A220 to offer much-needed transcontinental city pairs.Breeze Airways A220.
Breeze Airways
Its expansion is no surprise given its founder and CEO is industry mogul David Neeleman. He is also known for creating JetBlue, as well as budget carriers WestJet in Canada and Azul in Brazil.Breeze CEO David Neeleman with an Embraer jet during the inaugural flight in May 2021.
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For comfort, Breeze is easily on top. It's Embraer 190/195 and Airbus A220s offer reclining seats and a phone stand...The phone/tablet stand is on Breeze's E190 seat backs.
…while the A220s even have power ports and first class seats — a rarity on budget carriers. While drinks, snacks, and luggage will cost extra for the most basic fare, I think the free perks included in every ticket are a major advantage.Breeze's A220 first class seats.
Moreover, every city it flies to connects to at least two others, and it flies nonstop across the US, connecting places like Las Vegas to New England and Disney World and Disneyland. This is an advantage it has over Avelo.Breeze's A220 extra legroom economy seats. These routes are helping Breeze break into markets and serve cities not previously connected nonstop — gaining popularity among travelers who many times had layovers when flying across the US.
It still has its drawbacks though. Like Avelo, they have a smaller fleet, and I even got delayed 10 hours in Vegas because the inbound plane was late. But, the carrier is growing with 80 A220s on order.In fact, Breeze canceled or delayed 37.9% of flights in 2022, drastically underperforming Spirit and Frontier.
Nevertheless, I still think Breeze's product is worth the risk if choosing between it and other low-cost or mainline options, especially as it expands its transcontinental flights — which can be brutal on competitors like Spirit.The author flying from Richmond to San Francisco on Breeze in June 2022.
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