This is what it’s like to fly Spirit Airlines

I never thought of Delta as a luxury airline, until I flew Spirit Airlines.

Spirit undercuts prices on virtually everyone else by unbundling all the “frills” you take for granted on other airlines.

Prior to this trip and despite its surprisingly long history, I was only vaguely aware of Spirit Airlines. I recall a former coworker suggesting I book a last-minute flight on it and, to be honest, I dismissed the idea out of hand.

However, my recent employment status change meant that I would be footing the bill for my next business trip. So, I began searching for the lowest possible fares. That’s when I stumbled on Spirit Airlines. It beat the nearest prices by a factor of at least two. Granted, my round-trip to Las Vegas would include a stop in Detroit (the flight back is with another low-cost carrier: Sun Country).

I booked quickly and then forgot about it until my trip date approached and I got the first of a handful of semi-urgent email messages, each one reminding me I had yet to complete my Spirit Airline travel booking experience.

The first one informed me that I needed to “purchase bags” for my upcoming trip. Since I already own luggage, I didn’t quite understand why I would want or need to buy more from Spirit Airlines. It soon became clear, however, that Spirit wanted me to pay for my carry-on luggage. They were happy to accommodate a satchel or backpack (provided it was small…