My niece, Kelly, called a few months ago and told me she found a super cheap flight to Cartagena, Columbia.

Since I’d never been to Columbia, I said yes, let’s go.

She found a flight for $300 out of Atlanta through Ft. Lauderdale on Spirit (compared to $600+ on other airlines). I’ve flown on Southwest and Ryanair, but never Spirit – an airline that bills itself as the “ultra-low cost airline.”

So how was the flight? Some pros and cons.

For the pros:

• Cost was half the cost of more traditional airlines.
• We flew out of Ft. Lauderdale, which was a pleasant change from the crowds of Miami International Airport.
• The seats don’t recline

  

The cons included:

• Lots of waiting in line, because of fewer staff at check-in desks
• You’ll pay for checking a bag and getting food on the plane – much like most airlines these days. But you’ll also pay for selecting a seat.

• The seats are so thin that you really can’t get too comfortable.
• You can’t find Spirit on big travel websites like Expedia or Orbitz so it is a little more challenging to compare prices and schedules.
• The airplane’s interior is plastered with advertising posters and you’ll be subjected to pitches to sign up for Spirit’s credit card
• Customer service is non-existent. If you research Spirit online, you’ll find a horrifying list of complaints, delays and poor service.
• The seats don’t recline

Some tips:

• If you have a relatively short flight – say less than four hours – you’ll be fine in the seats.
• Don’t spring for extra cost for the “big front seats.” They are wider, but don’t give you any extra service or amenities.
• Check-in online before your flight. If you have to print a boarding pass at the airport, you will be charged extra.

Bottom line: if you don’t care about service, delays or comfort – you’ll be hunky-dorey. But if you are on a tight schedule and enjoy a comfortable seat and courteous service, pay a little extra and go for another airline.

Will I fly on Spirit again? If Kelly finds another bargain to a place I haven’t visited – most likely!