I flew one of the LAST Spirit flights EVER

Added: 2026-05-07

[00:00:00]Now, I don't fly very often, but when I do, I fly Spirit.

[00:00:06]Here's why. So, I actually filmed this video exactly one week before we all found out that Spirit is shutting down for good. As I record this, Spirit's last flight has commenced. All future flights are cancelled, tickets will have to be refunded, and operations have all seized. So, what originally was my plan of explaining why I like Spirit does have to change. Think of this video as a homage to an attempt at affordability in America to flights that were significantly cheaper than the competition.

[00:00:41]Yes, there were downsides which I will cover, but ultimately there is a reason why 44 million passengers flew Spirit in one year. The long and short of it is Spirit will be missed.

[00:00:56]Now, in this economy, when a single avocado seems like a luxury purchase, when treating yourself means buying name brand toilet paper, saving money has not just become smart, it has become an imperative.

[00:01:14]Here's the thing, and I'm not even necessarily arguing against it. In the CO era, American taxpayers bailed out the airline industry with roughly $54 billion in payroll support. 54 billion.

[00:01:29]That is a lot of dollars. Dollars that could have been spent supplying every American roughly 78 avocados. So when Delta and JetBlue are charging me $400 for a slightly nicer chair, I think about those avocados.

[00:01:46]Saving up with spirits started right from the jump. Yes, you did have to practice some willpower, refusing the dangling cat toys of a larger seat or an extra checked bag, but if you managed to stave away these add-ons, you came away with what I can only describe as a steal. This roundtrip flight from Boston to Detroit cost me a little less than $115.

[00:02:11]That is far cheaper than the cost of gas for driving. Honestly, I'm a little befuddled that Spirit could even keep those prices so low. What I'm not befuddled by is my appreciation for a long-distance travel option that was not just palatable, I want to say revolutionary.

[00:02:28]Spirit connected people, especially those who might otherwise have not had that opportunity.

[00:02:36]Spirit even gave me a little sense of thrill. Part of the game of Flying Spirit for me was to see just how big of a bag I could pass off as a personal item.

[00:02:47]Okay, so one thing I am worried about is whether this bag here can count as a personal item because it costs I think double my ticket for me to use this as a carry-on.

[00:03:00]So, we're going to try to fit it in to this slot right here.

[00:03:06]At the base minimal fair, which is of course my style, carryons are not included. They are also not cheap. When my one-way flight costs just under $60, it feels weird to be paying $40 for just one carry-on. And so, for this flight, I wanted to test the limit. How big of a bag packed to the brim could I pass off as a personal item?

[00:03:33]>> All right, this is the moment of truth.

[00:03:41]>> Thank you.

[00:03:45]>> All right, so my bag officially made it.

[00:03:48]The answer, a comically large backpack, 40 liters, stuffed to the brim. It felt like I just committed a crime and got away.

[00:03:58]>> If it does not fit and you've turned it different ways, please put it in an open compartment.

[00:04:04]>> To be fair, full disclosure, on the way back, I was asked by the gate agent to show that my bag actually fit in the personal item slot, and it did fit barely, which is to say that the free personal item was actually quite generous. I could fly Spirit at that minimal base cost without feeling like I had to sacrifice extra storage.

[00:04:27]Another positive about Spirit, a fact that I was surprised by is that since its inception in 1992, every passenger who boarded one of their planes was able to get off safely at their destination.

[00:04:40]There has been not a single passenger accident in over 30 years.

[00:04:44]Talk about reliability.

[00:04:47]Now, of course, when I'm flying this cheap, I can admit that the seats leave a little bit more to be desired. The tray table could definitely stand to be a little bigger. The seat bat pocket could be a little bit more than a couple of cords strung together. Yes, maybe the safety instructions and menu could look a little less as if they've gone through the washer and dryer. But also, it's a 2-hour flight. I don't need to feel like I'm in the Ritz for these 2 hours. On this flight, I even splurged a little bit. Tried the snack box. It was 25% off, which was a nice plus, so only $75.

[00:05:23]And honestly, I think this was a pretty good price. It's one of the few times I've bought something on an airplane or from an airport where I didn't feel entirely scammed. After wolfing this snack box down, I took a short nap in the sky and before I knew it, the flight was over. In less than two hours, for less than 60 bucks, I've traveled from Boston to Detroit.

[00:05:47]The one secret airlines don't want you to know is that a 2-hour flight is a 2-hour flight. On Delta, on JetBlue, you land tired. On Spirit, you land tired, but maybe $100, $200 richer. That is not a worse deal. That's the same deal with a rebate. for your commitment to affordable pricing in aviation spirit.

[00:06:10]You will be missed. Cheers to the many millions of miles spent connecting people. Thank you and goodbye.