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Miami Herald
21-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Spirit Airlines makes some changes for travelers. Here are 5 takeaways
Spirit Airlines, known for its budget-friendly approach and distinctive yellow planes, is making a few changes. The Broward-based airline is introducing a revamped premium section, 'Go Comfy,' offering more legroom, and also offering new benefits for its loyalty program members. The changes come as part of Spirit's strategy to compete with larger airlines and improve its market position under the leadership of new CEO Dave Davis. FULL STORY: Spirit Airlines just added several new 'comfy' benefits for travelers Here are the highlights: Enhanced Premium Section: Spirit Airlines is reconfiguring its seating to offer an additional four inches of legroom in its 'Go Comfy' section, transforming it into a more traditional premium option. This upgrade is set to begin in June, with most aircraft completed by July and the remainder by and amenities: Travelers started booking these extra-legroom seats in May for flights beginning July 9. Additional amenities in the premium section include preferred seating, a free carry-on bag, priority boarding and complimentary snacks and Expansion: Spirit is expanding its routes with new nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Savannah, Georgia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Columbia, South Carolina. The expansion is important for maintaining Spirit's position as the leading airline at the Broward Program Enhancements: The Free Spirit loyalty program is being upgraded to offer more redemption options and complimentary upgrades for members and credit card holders. New benefits include two free checked bags for Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard holders and the introduction of a Free Spirit debit and strategic changes: Under the new leadership of CEO Dave Davis, Spirit Airlines is making the changes to enhance customer value and compete more effectively in the airline industry. Davis, previously with Sun Country Airlines, is recognized for his role in making it one of the most profitable airlines in the U.S. The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in the Miami Herald newsroom. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by Miami Herald journalists.
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Spirit Airlines just added several new ‘comfy' benefits for travelers
You may not recognize Spirit Airlines. The Broward-based carrier is introducing four extra inches of legroom to an enhanced premium section and new loyalty program benefits, including upgrades. Yes, the same discount airline with bright yellow colors that travelers love to hate, is making it a bit more comfortable and fun to fly. On Tuesday, Spirit announced that it would 're-imagine' its Go Comfy section, turning it into a more traditional premium option, a sign that it intends to compete with bigger airlines. Spirit says it will reconfigure seating to carve out more legroom. The work will start in June and the majority of airplanes will be finished by July, with the remainder done in 2026. Travelers can start booking extra-legroom seats starting May 15, 2025, for travel beginning July 9, the airline said. Other amenities include preferred seating and a free carry-on bag. Route expansions Spirit also said it will offer nonstop flights between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Savannah, Georgia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Columbia, South Carolina. That's important for FLL because Spirit is the top airline at the Broward airport. In March, Spirit accounted for 2.5 million passengers at FLL. While that marked a 12% decline from March 2024, it was by far the top airline with a 28% market share. JetBlue was second with 19%. The moves are the most significant since the airline named a new president and CEO, Dave Davies, who took over on April 21. He replaced longtime President and CEO Ted Christie, who resigned April 7 after successfully leading the company through restructuring. On Feb. 20, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved the carrier's plan to continue operating as a business, and cleared bankruptcy shortly after. Davis came from Sun Country Airlines, where he was president and chief financial officer and a member of its board of directors since December 2019. He was credited with helping make it one of the most profitable airlines in the U.S., outperforming Spirit and Frontier. His team at Spirit is wasting no time making changes. 'Spirit's new premium options offer travelers' exceptional value, and we're creating even more opportunities for guests to experience them,' Rana Ghosh, senior vice president and chief commercial officer at Spirit Airlines, said in a statement. 'We're also adding more value and perks for our loyalty members at a time when others are taking away benefits.' Here's a breakdown of the new amenities and benefits: New comforts in Spirit's Go Comfy ▪ Preferred seating includes seven rows near the front of the aircraft and more than 40 seats ▪ In those seats, an extra 4 inches of legroom giving a total of 32 inches ▪ Free carry-on-bag ▪ No change or cancel fees ▪ Priority boarding ▪ Reserved overhead bin space ▪ Snack and non-alcoholic beverage New benefits to Free Spirit loyalty program members and Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard holders ▪ Increased options for redemption including using Free Spirit point for Go Big and Go Comfy ▪ Complimentary upgrades for Free Spirit status members and Free Spirit credit card holders to a Big Front seat and Comfy Seat at boarding, based on availability, extending to one guest on the member's reservation; starting in June ▪ New two free checked bags benefit for Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard holders; to start later in 2025, unspecified month ▪ New Free Spirit debit card will launch this fall; 'will allow anyone to earn Free Spirit points on their everyday spending and redeem those points for travel ... while receiving Group 2 Priority Boarding and a 25% rebate on in-flight purchases' Spirit also said that travelers who earn Free Spirit Gold and Silver Status will continue to enjoy all existing benefits including Shortcut Security and seat selection with no increase in the requirements to earn status for the 2025 program year. Guests with Gold Status will also continue to enjoy free bags, Wi-Fi (subject to availability), complimentary snacks and drinks, including alcohol on eligible flights. More information For more details on the new benefits or information on how to join the loyalty program, go to Spirit's website at
Miami Herald
18-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Spirit Airlines just made another big change as it starts a new chapter
Spirit Airlines has a new leader. The Broward-based carrier has turned to an aviation industry insider as it attempts to forge a new chapter after enduring bankruptcy woes and years of merger failures.. Spirit's board of directors appointed Dave Davis as president and chief executive officer, the airline's parent company said on Thursday. He will start that role and join the board of directors on April 21. Davis replaces longtime President and CEO Ted Christie, who resigned April 7 after successfully leading the company through restructuring. Davis comes from Sun Country Airlines, where he was president and chief financial officer and a member of its board of directors since December 2019. Before that, he was the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Northwest Airlines, the world's fourth largest airline before its sale to Delta in 2008. Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines said in a regulatory filing on April 17 with the Securities and Exchange Committee that on April 16, Davis 'informed the Board that he would be stepping down from his position.' Sun Country noted that 'Mr. Davis' resignation was not a result of any disagreement with the Company or the Board.' His success at Sun Country was a selling point to Broward-based Spirit. 'As ultra-low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier falter, Sun Country has been able to routinely stand out as one of the most profitable airlines in the U.S.' travel media Skift wrote in a report in August. It noted that Sun Country's operating margin of 13% was the highest among American airline companies. Operating margin is a measure of a company's profit after taking into account most expenses except interest and taxes. 'The Minneapolis-based carrier has developed a niche market in Minnesota, along with a cargo and charter business that have boosted its bottom line,' Skift wrote in another report on April 17. There's hope then that Davis, 58 and with an MBA and an aerospace engineering and mechanics degree, has what it takes to make Spirit a successful business. Will Spirit now seek another airline merger? Davis' experience with Northwest Airlines before its deal with Delta offers another tantalizing possibility — that he'll be skillful in leading a merger with another airline. That would serve as a stark contrast to the multiple failed mergers Spirit attempted. 'He brings with him a wealth of experience and a solid track record of accomplishments from his many years in the airline industry,' said Robert Milton, chairman of Spirit Airlines. That 'positions him well to lead Spirit's continued transformation.' The new chief will receive a three-year employment package with a $950,000 annual base salary and a $4 million signing bonus to be paid in two installments, according to April 17 regulatory filings by Spirit with the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission. How Spirit Airlines survived bankruptcy In November 2024, Spirit filed for bankruptcy protection. On Feb. 20, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved the carrier's plan to continue operating as a business, and cleared bankruptcy shortly thereafter. Then-CEO Ted Christie called the court's approval 'a major milestone.' 'We will emerge as a stronger airline with the financial flexibility to continue providing guests with enhanced travel experiences and greater value,' he said. By the second week of April, he was gone.
Miami Herald
26-03-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
What are the top airline loyalty programs in South Florida? What this Miami-based firm says
With so many frequent flier programs to choose from, is there a method to the madness? One Miami-based research firm says yes. Personal-finance website WalletHub released its 2025's Best Frequent Flyer Programs report on March 26, pitting the 10 largest domestic airlines against each other. It judged the carriers on 21 metrics including the value of a point/mile, blackout dates for reward flights and number of destinations. For South Florida travelers, the top three airline rewards programs are: American Airlines-Mileage Plan, JetBlue Airways-TrueBlue and Spirit Airlines-Free Spirit, Chip Lupo, an analyst with WalletHub, said in an interview with the Miami Herald. The report is national but Lupo broke down the data to make it useful for the region. American, Miami International Airport's largest customer, flies to over 400 destinations, offers miles that don't expire and gets you a 'good bang for your buck,' said Lupo. That's especially the case for those who don't fly a lot, he said. Meanwhile, JetBlue's program is better for average fliers. Spirit has miles that don't expire but lack partners. Free Spirit is more beneficial for those who travel with high frequency, said the WalletHub analyst. The Broward-based airline should also offer 'some pretty good deals' coming out of bankruptcy in March, he thinks. Best national frequent flier plans The report WalletHub published is national and annual. Overall, Alaska Airlines won the title for the second straight year, narrowly beating United Airlines. The top 5: ▪ Alaska Airlines – Mileage Plan Total points: 70.69 ▪ United Airlines – Mileage Plus 70.21 ▪ Delta Air Lines – SkyMiles 65.71 ▪ Hawaiian Airlines – HawaiianMiles 64.69 ▪ American Airlines – AAdvantage 60.70 Alaska's strong performance helped American as it's a member of Oneworld Alliance, said Lupo. The overall rankings were based on three different annual airfare budgets. The lowest was Light at $459, the middle was Average at $3,393 and the highest was Frequent at $6,326. In doing that, 'the best overall frequent flyer programs are well-rounded and positioned to satisfy the needs of loyal airline customers of all types,' the report said. What's best for you? WalletHub's report also comes with a custom calculator that allows travelers to personalize the results based on their own budget. That means the rankings may differ depending on how much you spend annually on airfare. While Alaska won overall, United finished first among the traveler who spends the most and who spends the least. Alaska placed second in those categories. Hawaiian ranked third in the Average category, otherwise the Top 5 were unchanged by the travelers' budget. In other findings, the average rewards program saves frequent fliers about 8% on airfare, the report said. Hawaiian Airlines offered the most rewards value, at $12.55 per $100 spent. Frontier Airlines was second with $11.75 per $100 spent. But don't expect 2025 to be better than past years. Just 3 of the largest 10 airlines will offer more rewards value in 2025 than they did in 2024. Those are JetBlue Airways, Hawaiian Airlines and Spirit Airlines On average, the top 10 airlines are offering 5% less value than they did last year.
