I’ve been doing airline reviews for over 10 years now, so an in-depth Frontier vs Spirit comparison feels like the right thing to do. I’ve got loads experience on both of these low cost airlines, and believe me – there’s a lot I can say about each. Some of it good, some of it bad (and laced with expletives that would make a drill sergeant blush).
Is Frontier better than Spirit? Which airline is worse? I’m going to answer all of these questions (and more), so hopefully you’ll have a better idea of which airline is better for you by the time you scroll all the way to the end.
Frontier vs Spirit: a brief summary of all the similarities and differences
I guess I never really thought about it before trying to organize my thoughts for this comparison, but Frontier and Spirit are more similar to one another then they are different. Check this out:
Similarities
- Both are classified as ultra low-cost carriers (ULCCs)
- Both operate a point-to-point network system – foregoing the structure of a traditional hub-and-spoke network (such as how other US airlines like Delta, United, and American operate)
- Both have horribly uncomfortable seats in the main economy cabin
- Despite having the most uncomfortable seats in economy, both offer a surprisingly decent premium seat option
- Both Frontier and Spirit operate a fleet of Airbus narrowbody aircraft (A319, A320, A320NEO, A321, A321NEO)
- Both offer a food-for-purchase option – which isn’t all that bad actually
- The pricing structure of both is similar: they “bundle” their fares, which means that customers have to pay extra for every little thing (such as checking bags, choosing a seat, being allowed a carry-on bag etc.)
Differences
- Frontier actually started out as a”traditional” airline in the sense that they had a hub-and-spoke network based out of Denver Colorado (DEN). On the other hand, Spirit’s route network has been point-to-point right from the beginning.
- Frontier is focused primarily in the western United States, while Spirit is focusing on the east. It is worth noting that both are expanding nationwide as the years go on.
- Spirit is a much larger airline than Frontier – and is growing at a faster rate.
History of both airlines
Both Frontier and Spirit have fought long and hard to get to where they are today. These aren’t evil airlines that popped up just a couple years ago that were purposely built to make you curse (and give you ulcers in the process). Believe it or not, they were started by real (compassionate) human beings with the best of intentions.
Anyway, one of the most interesting things about Frontier and Spirit is the fact that they both feel like relatively new airlines. The average age of aircraft in each respective fleet is relatively young, and both have experienced major growth over the past several years. However, it goes a lot deeper than that..
An oversimplified history of Spirit Airlines
Did you know that Spirit originally started as a trucking company? I didn’t. Anyway, founded in 1964 as Clippert Trucking Company, the air service didn’t actually begin until 1983. Back then, it was called Charter One and was based out of Macomb County, Michigan (Detroit-ish). Scheduled operations began on April 2, 1993.
An oversimplified history of Frontier Airlines
Compared to Spirit, the current iteration of Frontier is just a baby still. Founded in 1994 by an ex-United pilot (Fredrick W. Brown), scheduled flights began with a small fleet of 737-200 aircraft serving regional destinations out of Denver, Colorado. There’s a lot more to it than that though – the original “Frontier” launched way back in 1950, and went out of business in 1986. The Frontier we have today is not the same Frontier of old.
I’d actually recommend reading about the history of the Frontier Airlines over on Wikipedia. Start with the original Frontier, and then read about the current Frontier. Fascinating!
Comparing the seats
I’d describe the seating options on Frontier and Spirit to be both good and bad. I say “good” because both airlines offer a fairly decent premium seat option which rivals anything you would find on the major US airlines. However, I say “bad” because the basic economy seats are pretty much the worst in the sky.
Which airline has the better premium seat?
Based on my own personal experience, I tend to like the premium seats on both Spirit and Frontier equally. Let me explain:
Spirit Airlines
The Spirit Airlines premium seat (officially referred to as “Big Front Seats“) is large and spacious. As a matter of fact, they are very similar to what you’ll find in the first class cabin on other airlines. They’re comfortable too!
My most recent experience in Spirit Airlines Big Front Seats came on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego with an intermediate stop in Houston. While I didn’t write a trip report for that specific flight, it did inspire me to write an article which asked the question of whether or not Spirit Airlines is actually as bad as everyone says they are. Spoiler alert: No. They are not bad at all.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, on the other hand, doesn’t use a different seat for their premium seating option (officially referred to as “Stretch Seats”). They are the exact same seats you’ll find in basic economy, but they are spaced out much further and the legroom is quite generous.
Additionally, where the seats lack in overall space and padding, they make up for in style and design. The new Frontier Airlines seats are nothing short of beautiful with black leather and diamond stitching – similar to what you would find in a decently priced car nowadays.
Which airline has the better basic economy seat?
I can’t help but chuckle when thinking of an answer to this question – because it’s kind of like asking: which proctologist gives a better colonoscopy? Quite frankly, I’ve found the basic economy seats on both Frontier and Spirit to be incredibly uncomfortable.
Both airlines have adopted the “slim” style of economy seat. This means that the padding is minimal, and it’s likely that you’re going to end up with a sore derrière and / or a sore lower back once you reach your destination. Yes, I know I just praised Frontier Airlines for having a decent premium seating option using these exact same seats, but trust me. The extra legroom makes all the difference since it will allow you to squirm around a lot more in order to find a comfortable position.
Don’t expect a lot when it comes to innovative seat features on either airline either. Tray tables are tiny, and recline is extremely minimal.
Comparing the food
Frankly, there isn’t much to talk about in the Frontier vs Spirit competition when it comes to mealtime (just as it was in my Spirit vs JetBlue main cabin comparison). Both airlines won’t give you anything but water for free, and you’re going to have to pay extra if you want anything with anything more than just a wee bit of substance and flavor. Here’s a quick look at the in-flight menus on both airlines:
As you can see, there really isn’t all that much difference in both the food (and the prices) on either airline. I know very little about the business of airline food, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they get their food from the same source. It’s just got that feel to it.
Since the airline industry changes so fast, it’s likely that the food options that you will be presented with will be different than the food options I had on my most recent flights. For the latest information, do be sure to check out the following links:
Overall bang for the buck
At the end of the day, the Frontier vs Spirit debate comes down to the following question: which airline offers the better value for the money? In other words, Do you get a better bang for your buck on Frontier than you would on Spirit? Or is it the other way around?
Honestly, in my personal experience, it all depends on the route(s) you’re flying. Both airlines offer incredibly cheap base fares. They also offer pretty much the same basic service.
However, Spirit is a much larger airline, and therefore, you get the perks that come with that. Things such as more flight options (which is especially convenient when flights get canceled), and better gate space at major airports. That second point is debatable, I know, but my experience has been that the Spirit Airlines corporate office has deeper pockets and thus has the ability to spend more to get better gate space.
That said, when things go right, I still believe that the bang for the buck is quite good both on Spirit and Frontier. Frontier is a good airline (most of the time). Spirit isn’t all that bad (usually). Both will make you curse like a sailor when things go wrong though. I promise you that.
Randy Preising
How would these compare to Allegiant? Last year, my mom took a trip from IAG to PIE. Normally she would fly out of YYZ, but she and her friends scored cheap seats. I’ve never been to IAG, but it seems an odd, little airport—and shared with military flights. I was a bit concerned, as Allegiant had all those mechanical issues a few years ago.
I expected my mom to give me all kinds of horror stories about Allegiant, but she really enjoyed it … a brand new Airbus, decent food, and it left on time.
Also, how would Rouge stack up against Frontier and Spirit? I guess Rouge can’t really be classified as an ULCC, being part of AC? Same would go with Swoop.
SANspotter
All good questions! I actually quite enjoy doing these types of comparisons, so I will definitely do more (eventually). Especially anything regarding Allegiant…
AVLspotter
Having flown both not that long ago, they really are not all that different. Allegiant’s mechanical issues have largely gone away since the Super 80s were retired. Inside, its tight unless you sit in row 1. The same is largely true for spirit. They even use the same seats.
SANspotter
It’s been a few years since I’ve last flown Allegiant – and due to the fact that international travel may be off limits until 2021, I’ll be doing a lot of domestic travel as the year goes on (I hope). One of my first goals to tackle is to give Allegiant a proper try (again) just to see what has and has not changed. I’m actually quite looking forward to it!
Randy Preising
Canada had its own version of Allegiant called JetsGo. They flew a lot of MD-80s. My mom used to fly the YYZ-PIE route. They went bust in 2005. We called them “JetsGone”. They had all their aircraft lined up at YYZ next to 24L/06R waiting for a new buyer.
SANspotter
I’ve never heard of them! There were so many airlines back in the 90’s and early 2000’s compared to what we have nowadays. It would have been much more fun being a travel blogger back then for sure.
Randy Preising
Actually, you’re exactly the guy to put this question to …
Deregulation: Was it good or bad for the airline industry?
SANspotter
I think you have me confused for somebody else. I can barely run a travel blog – what makes you think that I know anything about economics and airlines? Haha j/k
Actually, I’m of the opinion that deregulation was (sort of) good. We wouldn’t have seen as much of the innovation in the industry as we’ve had without it, and I’m a really big fan of “survival of the fittest”. It’s a meaty topic for sure, but I generally tend to sway towards the “glad it happened” side of things.
Jeff Hernandez
Hi there,
I just started reading your trip reports after discovering your website earlier today (it’s fantastic by the way!), and I think that this is a great comparison between the two companies. You mentioned that it had been two years since you last flew with Frontier, perhaps you should give them another whirl. A decent amount has changed including their bundle options which are often times cheaper than Spirit (at least every time I’ve considered Spirit), as well as their new Elite status, which Spirit doesn’t have, which can add even more value.
Sofia
I love these two airlines, I live them both. The day I feel like flying luxurious I’ll pay triple for some other airline but i don’t see that day coming anytime soon. I think these airlinws are comfortable enough so unless is my honeymoon or something, I dont see the need to pay more for some “comfort” that i dont even miss. These airlines are always on time, their aircrsfts are pretty decent and so is the staff. No complains but if you have them be my guest and fly with some other airline for 3X or more the price.
Jaime A McCollom
Spirit is awful!!! They will purposely move you from line to line until you miss your flight and then try to charge you 79.00.there workers ratchet and possess no customer service skills. The managers are a joke. This airline is full of crooks!
Lorraine Holst
I love your column…and I love the humor in it. Your writing style makes it a pleasure to read the articles. There are times when I can not, for the life of me, reach the end of a column as they are BORING. This does NOT apply to you, at all!
I do have a serious question. If SPIRIT is the elder of the two airlines and a flight attendant has been with Spirit since they started that means that the SPIRIT flight attendant has seniority. Correct? This person (that I know) is an excellent employee, a great flight attendant, never misses work, and is a company man. He has big-time seniority at Spirit. Would he be in danger of losing that seniority with this merger? YES, he is VERY worried!!
Scott (SANspotter)
Thanks Lorraine! My style of writing isn’t for everyone (lol), but I try not to be overly serious if I don’t have to.
In regards to the Spirit / Frontier merger, I’m just now reading up on all the details, and there doesn’t seem to be much information about it at this time. Heck, I’m not even sure what the surviving brand will be. Spirit is more well known, but they don’t have the best reputation. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. And I hope your friend is able to maintain his well-deserved seniority!
Memzo
All I can say is, some of Spirit staff members at the counter are very rude, ill-breeding, discourtesy, uncouth, disrespectful, impolite, inconsiderate and unprofessional. My family and I had an awful experience with one of them when traveling back from Philadelphia. The supervisor on duty that very day was a joke. Yes, there fare is reasonable but the catch is you pay for small luggages that other companies don’t charge for. Their planes are cramped. I prefer flying with the bigger names airline, they might be a little pricey, but they give good customer service and their staff are not rude and obnoxious. Thank you for your column.
William
Hey Scott! This is an older article, so why is it here? It’s a good article though
Scott (SANspotter)
Posts get moved to the top whenever I update them. There was a lot of outdated info in this one that I had to clean up.
Peter
Wow, this was a very short article! I think it still got the point across though.
Anyway, here’s my thoughts on Spirit vs. Frontier.
Branding: Spirit’s branding is tacky and loud, which makes sense considering this is a ULCC, but I’m a huge fan of Frontier’s outdoor theme. That being said, I prefer the Spirit livery. F9’s is too complex.
Fees & extras: Probably the most important part of flying on a low-cost carrier given their a-la-carte pricing model. Anyway, I’ve found that if you follow the rules regarding the extra fees (basically if you know what to expect), you’ll have a smooth and, dare I say it, pleasant experience. That said, I think Spirit’s fees are generally more reasonable that Frontier’s. They also have a larger baggage allowance.
Economy seats: The Economy seats have thin padding, tight legroom, and a ridiculously small tray table. However, I never found the seats to be especially uncomfortable (I actually found the seats on my Frontier flight to be somewhat squishy), and the legroom was manageable (shorter passengers won’t have a problem with it). It’s been 4-5 years since my last NK/F9 flights respectively though, so I’d have to give them a try again to see if I still find the seats to be decently comfortable. So it’s a tie.
Premium seats: I’ve never sat in either of these airlines’ premium products, but I’ll give Spirit’s Big Front Seat the win, as you get a Domestic First Class seat for a very cheap price. The Stretch Seat doesn’t look bad, and I wouldn’t mind giving it a try. But Spirit definitely excels in this category, at least based on my second-hand experience.
Service: OK, I realize that I’ve flown on Spirit a lot more than Frontier, but from my experience, Spirit has better service. I’ve found their crews to be consistently friendly and upbeat. The crew on my Frontier flight was perfectly professional, but not stellar.
Punctuality: Spirit has a better on-time record.
So yeah, I prefer Spirit. They’re better in every category except branding (livery aside) and Economy seats (Yes, while they have the same seats as on Frontier, I found F9’s to be somewhat more comfortable. I mentioned this in passing earlier).
Despite their differences, I have to say that I appreciate both airlines for offering cheap, basic transportation from A to B. They’ve helped open up air travel to hundreds, and I think they deserve some credit for that. No, they don’t offer the most amenities, but that’s not what they’re about.
Scott (SANspotter)
Yeah, I had to aggressively trim down the original article because so much of it was out of date. My original plan was to go in and add more detail, but I was short on time and I just needed to get it fixed. I’ll add more info in the next update.
Anyway, I really appreciate your input! Part of me thinks that I need to hire you to write/edit these types of articles for me… You seem to have a knack for it!