Here is a 2000+ word blog post comparing Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit airlines in the United States:
Introduction
The ultra low-cost carrier (ULCC) model has disrupted the airline industry in recent years. Carriers like Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit entice travelers with rock-bottom fares, stripping service to a bare minimum and charging fees for once-free amenities. As Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines said, these airlines are "marketing geniuses" for offering tantalizingly low prices up front while making their profit from ancillary revenue.
This no-frills approach certainly appeals to leisure and budget-conscious flyers. But along with bargain basement ticket prices comes tradeoffs – less legroom, no free drinks or snacks, a lack of flexibility, higher fees and potentially more delays. For savvy travelers, understanding the limitations of ULCCs is essential to avoid frustration.
This guide will analyze key factors when comparing Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit to help you determine which ultra low-cost carrier is right for your next trip.
The ULCC Business Model
First, it‘s important to understand how carriers like Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit achieve such low fares yet manage to profit. ULCCs follow what‘s known as the "Southwest model on steroids." They employ a point-to-point route structure rather than a hub-and-spoke system, focusing on direct flights between leisure destinations rather than connections through major hubs. This increases aircraft utilization and eliminates infrastructure costs associated with operating hubs.
ULCCs also fly a single aircraft type per airline, simplifying scheduling and maintenance as pilots and mechanics only need certification for one plane. Their fleets consist exclusively of Airbus A319s and A320s.
Additionally, ULCCs don‘t participate in any of the three major global airline alliances – Star Alliance, SkyTeam or Oneworld. This frees them from codesharing or alignment with legacy carriers‘ routes, schedules and pricing.
By concentrating solely on transporting passengers from point A to B, ULCCs remove complimentary perks and services that legacy network airlines bake into ticket prices, such as checked bags, seat assignments, drinks, snacks and elite qualifying miles. instead offering a basic seat and charging fees for any amenities beyond that. This "unbundling" allows ultralow fares that essentially just cover the marginal cost of flying that passenger. Profit comes from ancillary fees instead of ticket sales.
According to IdeaWorksCompany, ancillary revenue as a percentage of total revenue was over 50% for Allegiant and Spirit and 46% for Frontier in 2018, compared to under 30% for networked carriers. So you may pay $39 for a ticket but get hit with another $50 or more in fees if you want to check a bag, choose a seat, board early or have a soda. This can make the total cost far exceed initial expectations.
Route Networks
A key differentiator between ULCCs is their route networks. Let‘s examine where Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit fly within the domestic U.S., Canada, Mexico and Caribbean markets.
Allegiant exclusively operates point-to-point leisure routes, serving over 130 smaller cities and vacation destinations. Large airline hubs are noticeably absent. Allegiant routes concentrate around hot spots like Las Vegas, Orlando and PhoenixFocus is on domestic routes rather than international service. Allegiant does not currently serve any destinations in Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean.
Frontier Airlines flies to over 100 destinations in the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean. A recent push has expanded routes to more business destinations like Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis as Frontier tries appealing beyond pure leisure travelers. They codeshare with Mexican ULCC Volaris.
By contrast, Spirit Airlines boasts the most extensive network by far among ULCCs. They currently reach 77 destinations throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean including major hubs. Spirit flies deeper into South America than any other low-cost airline, serving Colombia, Peru and Venezuela from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando hubs. This gives them a strategic advantage accessing destinations legacy carriers don‘t profitably serve.
So while Allegiant and Frontier remain focused on domestic leisure and vacation hot spots, Spirit offers the widest array of geographic coverage. Frequent travelers to Florida and Latin America may find the best ULCC route options flying Spirit.
The Onboard Experience
Of course what matters most is the actual in-flight experience booking with an ULCC. How do Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit compare in terms of cabin seating, amenities and extras available onboard? Let‘s break this down.
Seats
Both Allegiant and Spirit configure cabins in a high-density 3-3 layout with 156 and 182 economy seats respectively on A320s. This tight squeeze leaves just 28 inches in pitch, an industry term for the distance between a point on one seat to the same point on the seat in front of it. For comparison, legacy carriers have around 31-33 inches of pitch.
The result is cramped quarters once the passenger in front reclines their seat, with little wiggle room. Allegiant‘s CEO once remarked that customers would endure a less comfortable seat for cheaper fares – and surveys have proven him right so far.
Frontier offers slightly more generous legroom in their economy cabin. Seats have 30-31 inches of pitch along with a 3-2 layout thanks to skinnier seats, so middle passengers only have one neighbor instead of two. Frontier seems just incrementally more tolerable for taller travelers. They also now offer Stretch Seats with up to 36 inches of pitch for a fee.
Food and Beverage
Again, none of the ULCCs are known for complimentary food or drinks onboard. Here are the offensive and defensive options when it comes to eating and drinking:
Allegiant – Offers only pre-packaged snacks and drinks for purchase. Their menu includes wine, beer, soda, chips, candy bars ranging $2-7 per item.
Frontier – Sells a Frontier-branded beverage bundle for around $8 with water, soda and coffee or the Ultimate Bundle for $15 adding snacks and alcohol. Also hawks brand-name snacks and drinks a la carte priced comparatively higher than convenience stores.
Spirit – Provides a buy onboard menu of snacks, meals and drinks with combo packages or individual sales. Specialty offerings include Bombay Sapphire alcohol drinks and Starbucks coffee. Prices are still inflated though – $10 for a cheese plate or $22 for a fruit and cheese large plate.
So all three nickel and dime passengers for food and drinks just like baggage fees. Bringing your own empty water bottle to fill post-security and packing snacks is wise to avoid price gouging once onboard. Gate areas often have vending machines for drinks and snacks at lower cost as well.
Inflight Entertainment and WiFi
When it comes to onboard entertainment and staying connected:
Allegiant – Offers only DirecTV streaming loaded onto personal devices. No seat-back screens or WiFi connectivity available.
Frontier – Does not have seat-back in-flight entertainment systems either. Offering WiFi would counter their low-cost strategy so only lets passengers stream free DishTV streaming content on personal devices.
Spirit – Has no onboard seat-back entertainment. Spirit offers fast, high-speed WiFi powered by Thales for a fee on all aircraft. Prices range from $4-$15 based on device type, route length and whether purchased beforehand.
So self-sufficiency is key again here – download that Netflix series to watch offline since only Spirit provides spotty WiFi for web access and entertainment. Podcasts, e-books and music may be your main friend if screens aren‘t an option. noise-cancelling headphones could also offset the loud, uncomfortable cabin environment when seats are packed tightly.
Seating Arrangements
Another key differentiator between the ULCCs is their respective boarding processes. Both Frontier and Spirit use unassigned seating, meaning seats are first-come-first-serve based on when passengers board. This method allows fuller aircraft utilization since their dispatch systems assign seats at the gate for optimal weight and balance rather than taking advance reservations.
Unassigned seats mean getting stuck in a cramped middle seat is likelier without paying for early boarding or specific seat reservations. It also raises the stakes for boarding on time during your group. Adhere closely to zone policies sincejsonify passengers freely take any empty spot if you board late.
Allegiant conversely assigns seat numbers to passengers on a first-reserved basis during booking, similar to a legacy airline. While seats toward the back fill up quickest, having an actual seat assignment eases a passenger‘s mind rather than scrambling at the gate.
For those willing to pay up on Frontier or Spirit, preferential seating toward the front of the plane with extra legroom can be purchased separately during booking or at check-in. Prices range from $8-$150 depending on route and demand. These seats offer early boarding perks letting flyers settle in and stash carry-ons before the crush of passengers wrestling for overhead bins.
Baggage Policies and Change Fees
As expected, bringing bags onboard ULCC flights costs extra given their low base fares. Here‘s what Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit charge for both carry-on and checked luggage:
Allegiant – Charges $5-$25 for carry-on bags and $15-$35 checked bags each way, depending on route. Fares are slightly higher if bags are paid for at airport rather than online. Loyalty members and Allegiant credit cardholders receive discounts.
Frontier – Offers the Works bundle for $69 roundtrip covering seat selection, carry-on and checked bag, priority boarding and no change fees. Otherwise nickel and dimes travelers $7-$15 per one-way segment for larger carry on, $30-$60 checked bags per segment. No discounts.
Spirit – Charges $37-$65 for first checked bags roundtrip and $28-$45 for carry-ons roundtrip if not purchasing The Works bundle for $84 roundtrip with same amenities as Frontier. Discounts sometimes offered to members.
Many basic economy fares on ULCCs don‘t even allow free full-sized carry-on bags, running afoul of size requirements. So what looks like a cheap fare balloons quickly once baggage and other fees get tacked on. Savvy travelers try limiting themselves to a free personal underseat item when flying Allegiant, Frontier or Spirit to avoid fees.
Change and cancellation polices also tend to be rigid on ULCCs since operational costs are tightly managed on their thin margins. Change fees can exceed $100 for domestic flights and run over $200 on some international routes compared to $50-150 for legacy airlines. Best to get trip details locked for Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit given their stiff fees.
Time Performance Records
A downside of the ULCC network model is flights tend to be delayed and cancelled more often. Operational difficulties arise from concentrating demand along certain seasonal leisure routes. Point-to-point networks lead to aircraft and crews being displaced, causing disruptions.
Additionally ULCCs lack spare planes and backup crews the large network airlines utilize to recover from cancellations. So when Allegiant, Frontier or Spirit flights are delayed or cancelled, being quickly rebooked is less likely.
According to 2021 rankings from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics:
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Allegiant was 6th worst among major carriers for on-time arrivals, with almost one quarter of flights delayed. They were 3rd worst for flight cancellations.
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Frontier performed 9th worst for on-time arrivals and cancellations combined out of the ten largest North American carriers.
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Spirit ranked had the 8th worst on-time percentage along with a very high complaint rate per guest.
So all three ULCCs lagged significantly behind leaders like Delta and Alaska. Building plenty of buffer when flying Allegiant, Frontier or Spirit is recommended given a roughly 25% chance flights are delayed or cancelled altogether.
Customer Satisfaction
A mix of uncomfortable cabins, tight schedules, high fees and crowded flights take their toll on customer satisfaction for ULCC flyers. Here‘s a sampling of reviews from consumer surveys and frequent flyer communities:
Allegiant
"We arrived back home 5 hours later than scheduled resulting in me having to scramble mad last minute to get pet care for our animals. I will NEVER fly Allegiant again."
"The initial ticket purchase price was fantastic. But I was absolutely shocked that every little thing after that cost a lot…Man, those fees add up in a hurry."
Frontier
"I felt unsafe almost the entire flight. Probably would have felt safer swimming across the ocean with a small tire tube honestly."
"The only thing that frontier has low costs on is their tickets. After “fees” my round trip ticket was almost $500 with no checked bags."
Spirit
"We sat on the tarmac for 3 hours, no food, limited water. I would have driven had I known this would happen. Awful, no, nonexistent customer service."
"NEVER AGAIN! Rude staff! Flight delayed 5+ hours. Charged me to print boarding passes."
The prevalence of scathing reviews shows how the ULCC model wins on initial price but loses passengers with aggravating experiences onboard and with delays. Still, Allegiant boasts high fare sale return rates, Frontier caters okay to its niche despite grumbling, and Spirit just doesn‘t care according to its irreverent marketing image. Savvy travelers understand the limitations accepting ULCC tradeoffs.
Price Comparison
At the end of the day, ultra low fares remain the siren call luring passengers to Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit Airlines. But do prices differ that widely when adding various components like baggage and seat selection? Let‘s price compare a roundtrip booking between common routes.
Los Angeles (LAX) to Las Vegas (LAS) in August:
- Allegiant: $77 base fare plus $88 bundled for seat, carry-on andchecked bag. Total: $165
- Frontier: $98 base fare plus $69 Works bundle. Total: $167
- Spirit: $87 base fare plus $84 Works bundle. Total: $171
Pretty comparable all around $165-$170 with add-ons. Though Allegiant eked out a win, prices fluctuate frequently.
Chicago (ORD) to Phoenix (PHX) September roundtrip:
- Allegiant: Six nonstop options from $160-$214 for flight and baggage
- Frontier: $159-$289 depending on dates selected
- Spirit: No nonstop flights
Here we see Allegiant leverage its route network to beat Frontier for this popular vacation pairing. Spirit didn‘t have this route in its inventory.
Orlando (MCO) to Newark (EWR) October roundtrip:
- Allegiant: No nonstop service
- Frontier: $98 base fare plus $69 Works is $167
- Spirit: $140 base fare plus $84 Works totals $224
In this case, Spirit‘s base and bundled fares both exceeded reliable, barebones Frontier service. It pays to check multiple ULCC sites.
The analysis shows that while base fares might differ greatly, once you tack on fees for bags, seats, boarding and other amenities, the all-in costs are largely a wash between Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit. Savvy flyers crunch total numbers across all three airlines plus consider route options before choosing the best ULCC deal.
TL;DR Conclusions
So in summary, choosing between Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit Airlines depends chiefly on your tolerance for fees and discomfort in exchange for dramatic cost savings over mainstream airlines. Fly them for the base ticket price, not expectations of included perks, premium service or on-time operations.
Allegiant is best suited for domestic U.S. travelers headed to vacation destinations like Florida and Vegas. Their assigned seating model and route network strength suit them okay for infrequent leisure travelers. Just prepare for nearly non-existent creature comforts onboard.
Frontier offers a bit more tolerable experience flying with extra legroom options and bundle amenity packages that ease à la carte fee pain. Business travelers should avoid Frontier given reliability challenges.
Spirit gives the most geographic flexibility especially accessing South and Latin America. But their reputation for extremely cramped cabins, indifference towards customers and worst-in-class timeliness makes Spirit a calculated risk only suitable for the most cost-obsessed wanderers.
No free lunch exists when flying. But if you carefully consider limitations Southwest copycats like Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit tolerate to achieve stunningly low fares, then travel joy can outweigh pains as long as expectations align properly with reality. Bon voyage bargaining!