Why is spirit airlines so cheap? (9 proven reasons)

Spirit Airlines is a low-cost carrier that is popular among budget-conscious passengers. But why is Spirit Airlines so cheap compared to other airlines? Here are 9 reasons why is spirit airlines so cheap and can provide affordable tickets to its consumers.

1. Spirit Airlines has a no-frills business model

One of the main reasons why Spirit Airlines can offer such low fares is because it has a no-frills business model. This means that the airline is providing the bare minimum when it comes to amenities and services, and charges extra for anything that falls outside of this category.

For example, Spirit Airlines does not offer in-flight meals or recreation and charges extra for things like carry-on bags, seat assignments, and even printing your boarding pass at the airport. This allows the airline to keep its base fares as low as possible, while still generating additional revenue through these ancillary fees.

The no-frills business strategy is intended to cater to frugal customers willing to sacrifice comforts and services in return for reduced costs. Spirit Airlines may provide cheap base rates to its consumers while still operating a viable business by offering low base fares and collecting additional money through ancillary fees.

2. Spirit Airlines only operates Airbus.

Spirit Airlines uses a single aircraft type, the Airbus fits fleet, which helps them to simplify operations and cut costs. The airline only needs to maintain and repair one type of aircraft, which is less expensive than maintaining and repairing many types of aircraft. It also only needs to teach its staff about one type of aircraft, lowering training expenses and simplifying the training process.

Operating a single aircraft type also simplifies operations and makes fleet management easier. With only one kind of aircraft to maintain and repair, the airline can concentrate on improving maintenance and repair schedules and boosting operating efficiency.

Operating a single aircraft type can also increase the airline’s flexibility in terms of route planning and deployment. With a single aircraft type, the airline can quickly transfer planes between different routes and adjust its flight schedule as needed, without having to worry about numerous aircraft types and their specific capabilities.

3. Spirit Airlines utilizes secondary airports

Spirit Airlines also tries to keep its rates low by flying from secondary airports. Because these airports are often smaller and have lower operational expenses than big airports, Spirit Airlines can save money on costs like landing fees, gate rents, and terminal fees. 

Secondary airports have shorter ground time between flights. The shorter ground time between flights enables the airline to turn the aircraft around faster, reducing the length of time the aircraft remains on the ground. This can help the airline save money on things like fuel, maintenance, and staff costs.

Secondary airports may also have a larger demand for flights than major airports, which can assist Spirit Airlines in filling planes and reducing average operational costs.

In addition, secondary airports generally have less competition from other airlines than large airports, making it easier for Spirit Airlines to acquire landing slots and negotiate favorable terms with the airport.

Spirit Airlines is able to cut costs on these expenditures by using secondary airports and passing those savings on to its consumers in the form of discounted prices.

4. Spirit Airlines has a very high load factor.

 Another reason Spirit Airlines can offer cheap rates is that it has a high load factor, which refers to the percentage of seats on an aircraft that are occupied by paying customers. The higher the load factor, the more income an airline may produce for every trip.

For the second quarter of 2022, the load factor of Sprite Airlines was 86.0 %., which is much higher than the industry average of approximately 80%. 

A greater load factor indicates that the airline can fill more of its flights with paying passengers, which earns more money. A high load factor might also allow an airline to offer lower fares to its customers since it can spread its fixed expenditures (such as fuel and maintenance) among a greater number of passengers.

It is important to note that various factors can affect an airline’s load factor, including travel demand, competition, price, route network, and the overall health of the economy. Airlines often regularly monitor their load factors and employ a variety of measures to enhance them, including giving specials and discounts, increasing their route network, and enhancing the entire passenger experience.

Spirit Airlines has a high load factor which allows the airline to earn more money every flight and offer tickets at a cheaper price for customers

5. Spirit Airlines provides a comprehensive loyalty program

Spirit Airlines encourages consumers to fly with them more frequently by adopting a rewards program, which can help generate more revenue and keep providing low-price tickets to its customers.

The airline has a comprehensive loyalty program known as the FREE SPIRIT Loyalty Program, which allows customers to earn points for every dollar spent on tickets rather than the distance traveled. Customers can use their points for complimentary flights.

Some of the benefits of the FREE SPIRIT program are as follows:

• Earn 6 points for every dollar spent on travel.
• Members can redeem any flight price for as little as 2,500 points.
• It supports Points Pooling, which allows the member to pool Free Spirit points with up to 8 friends and family members.
• Enjoy the benefits of priority check-in and boarding.
• Members of Free Spirit Silver or Free Spirit Gold can earn points much faster.

Spirit Airlines differentiates itself from other low-cost carriers by establishing a loyalty program that gives an additional incentive for passengers to choose the airline for their travel needs.

6. Spirit Airlines has a low staff-to-aircraft ratio

Spirit Airlines places a high priority on cost reduction and has implemented several measures to achieve this goal. The airline, for example, has a low employee-to-aircraft ratio, indicating that it employs fewer people per plane than other carriers.

In general, the staff-to-aircraft ratio of an airline might include pilots, flight attendants, maintenance mechanics, ground crew, and other personnel engaged in the airline’s operations.

Several aspects of Spirit Airlines’ operations have been automated, including check-in and boarding, luggage handling, and aircraft maintenance. The airline’s airport kiosks are self-service and simple to use. By automating these jobs, the airline reduces the number of people needed to accomplish them, resulting in a lower labor cost. 

Overall, Spirit Airlines is able to maintain a low employee-to-aircraft ratio while controlling labor costs via the use of automation and technology as well as a lean business strategy.

7. Spirit Airlines saves money on fuel

Spirit Airlines has one of the most up-to-date and fuel-efficient airplanes.

One of the largest operational costs associated with an airline business is fuel cost, and Spirit Airlines has implemented several measures to improve fuel efficiency and minimize fuel costs. Spirit Airlines operates the newest fleet of Airbus planes that use less fuel than any other aircraft model.

Airbus planes feature the most advanced engines, which are designed to be fuel efficient and generate low emissions. The Airbus A320 neo, for example, has been recognized as both the most successful commercial aircraft family in history and the most technologically advanced and fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft.

Spirit Airlines also employs fuel-saving methods such as shorter travel routes and reduced total airplane weight. Spirit Airlines is able to reduce its fuel expenses and provide lower fares to its customers by saving money on fuel.

8. Outsourcing non-essential operations

Spirit Airlines may benefit from outsourcing by gaining access to specific expertise and resources that it does not have in-house. For example, Spirit Airlines has engaged a third-party company to handle its luggage at Atlantic City International Airport. Spirit is the leading airline in Atlantic City.

The airline also outsourced major airframe maintenance to a licensed FAA maintenance supplier in 2011. These contracts handle the procurement, replacement, and repair of all of our aircraft component inventory. Spirit Airlines outsourced its call center to India.

Outsourcing aircraft maintenance and repair can also help improve efficiency by allowing the airline to take use of specialist firms’ expertise and resources. This can help to shorten the time aircraft are out of service for maintenance and repair.

Outsourcing may also help Spirit Airlines boost efficiency by allowing the airline to focus on its core capabilities while outsourcing non-essential operations to partners that excel in certain areas. This can help reduce duplication of effort and increase overall efficiency.

9. Extensive aircraft use

Spirit Airlines has a high aircraft utilization rate, which suggests that its planes spend a large amount of time in the air every day. This helps to optimize income earned by each aircraft while lowering costs.

The Airline typically performs short-haul flights that can be turned around quickly and require less time on the ground between flights. This permits the airline to fly more flights in a given amount of time.

The average daily aircraft usage for Spirit is 12.7 hours, compared to 11.8 hours for JetBlue and 10.9 hours for Southwest.

High-density seating has assisted Spirit Airlines in lowering expenses and increasing revenue by allowing the airline to carry more people on a given aircraft while also decreasing the operational and maintenance costs on average.

Overall, a high aircraft utilization rate may help Spirit Airlines decrease expenses and enhance operational efficiency. As a result, the airline is able to provide low-cost flights to its clients.

But is it safe to fly with Spirit Airline?

Yes, Spirit Airlines appears to be frugal, but it is just as safe as other large airlines.

Spirit Airlines has never had a plane accident in its 30 years of business, according to airsafe.com. Spirit Airlines has an exceptional safety record and has never been engaged in a significant accident.

They operate the most recent aircraft. New aircraft models are often safer than older ones because they integrate newer technology and design characteristics that can increase safety.

The airport security checkpoint examines all passengers traveling with different airlines in the airport, regardless of which airline you fly with. Millimeter wave advanced imaging equipment safely checks passengers without physical touch for metallic and nonmetallic hazards, such as guns and bombs hidden beneath clothes.

So, when you fly with Spirit Airlines, you won’t have to worry about safety.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are 9 factors that explain why is spirit airlines so cheap and is able to offer low-cost tickets to its customers. Spirit Airlines offers low-cost tickets and an efficient way to travel without safety concerns.