If you’ve never flown with a low-cost airline, take it from us: You might be an outlier. Low-cost airlines like Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines (or EasyJet and Ryanair in the UK) can often be the most budget-friendly ways to travel.
Sure, you might not get all the perks of flying with a premium airline, but sometimes, the cheapest option can be the best one—especially if you’re only flying short-haul or on domestic routes.
Related: Low-cost airline survival guide: Avoid fees and enjoy your flight
Just because you fly with a low-cost airline doesn’t mean you can’t have a great experience. In fact, there are some great ways to improve your simple flying experience that don’t necessarily mean spending more money.
We’ve outlined six of them below.
Use airport lounges
Contrary to popular belief, lounges are not reserved for passengers flying business or first class or for those with elite status. With a little planning and research before you travel, you’ll likely find a lounge you can access without flying in a premium cabin.
While the quality of lounges can vary, the experience of using a lounge is almost always superior to waiting in standard departure areas.
The first step to gaining lounge access is to research your destination airport to understand your options.
You can absolutely access the lounge with your credit card. For example, American Express Platinum® Cardthe Reserve Chase Sapphire® and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card all come with lounge access perks.
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Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access
Besides premium airline lounges, you can also find some options that let you pay to enter or access through lounge programs like Priority Pass.
Let’s take Orlando International Airport (MCO) as an example. Club at MCO has stores in Terminal A (home to Frontier, Southwest Airlines and Avelo Airlines) and Terminal B (home to Breeze Airways, Volaris, WestJet and Sun Country Airlines).
With a $50 day pass, you’ll get free snacks and drinks (including beer, wine, and premium spirits), newspapers, free Wi-Fi, and a workspace. Additionally, you can access this lounge with a Priority Pass membership.
Priority Pass annual fees start at $99 and are broken down as follows:
- Standard membership: $99 per year; includes visits for $35 each for members and any guests
- Standard Plus Membership: $329 per year; includes 10 free visits, with subsequent visits for $35 each (same price as all guest visits)
- Prestige membership: $469 per year; All visits are included for members, although guests must pay $35 per visit
You can sign up for a Priority Pass membership at priority.com.
Pay seat selection fee
Paying for a specific seat can be an unpleasant expense, especially if you’re traveling with your family or in a group. However, when flying with a low-cost airline, paying for a specific seat can make your journey much more comfortable than sitting in a random seat.
When choosing your seat, consider how close it is to the front and back of the plane. Low-cost airlines tend to board and deplane both front and rear.
The closer you are to the gate, the faster you can get off the plane when you land. You should also consider leg room. If you’re tall, paying for a seat with more legroom (or in the emergency exit row) will make a huge difference.
Seat prices vary between airlines and can often change depending on the route and availability. For example, Spirit offers seat options from as low as $1 to $250 on some flights.
Related: Spirit Airlines elite status: What it is and how to earn it
Before buying, consider how much you paid for the original ticket, the length of the flight and whether the cost of the additional seat will sufficiently improve your journey.
Note: If you’re traveling with your family, some low-cost airlines offer priority seating options so you can sit together without paying extra.
Do your research to ensure you’re not paying too much for a benefit you would otherwise receive for free.
Use airport security quickly
TSA PreCheck is currently available at more than 200 US airports; it costs $78 for 5 years and $70 to renew.
If you have PreCheck, you don’t have to take your laptop out of your bag and can put your shoes on. You can go through a regular metal detector instead of going through a body scanner.
Having PreCheck can significantly reduce the time you spend waiting in security lines, especially at busy airports like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
If you have a Global Entry card, TSA PreCheck is available for free. The Global Entry application fee is currently $100 for five years but will increase to $120 in October 2024. The application renewal fee may be covered as a perk if you are a credit card holder.
Premium credit cards and low annual fees that offer Global Entry credits include:
Most cards that offer a Global Entry fee credit also allow you to pay for a Global Entry membership for someone else. For example, if you have unused Global Entry credit on your Amex Platinum, you can charge someone else’s Global Entry to your card to refund the purchase.
Related: Best credit cards for free global participation and TSA PreCheck
Bring your own snacks
If you don’t fancy using airport lounges, bringing your own food is a good idea – especially if you want to save money at expensive airport shops and restaurants.
Buying snacks at the local grocery store before you travel or even making sandwiches at home to keep in your carry-on bag is a simple task that you’ll be grateful for later. You’ll have no problem bringing snacks like sandwiches, fruit, or anything dry and securely packed with you.
When you get on a plane, you won’t have to wait for the food truck to arrive and pay for more expensive and, let’s face it, less delicious snacks.
Check the airline’s baggage policy
Being told your bag is too big right as you’re about to board your flight is every traveler’s nightmare. The result usually means you’ll be charged a fee to check in your luggage at the last minute.
Luckily, this situation can be avoided, and sometimes you can even avoid checked and carry-on baggage fees altogether. Do some research before flying about the size and weight of your carry-on bag compared to what the airline allows.
We’ve compiled some comprehensive guides below that can help you save money on baggage fees:
Check out our guide to find out More information about baggage fees.
Related: The credit card gets you a free checked bag
Download your own entertainment
If you own a smartphone, tablet or laptop, you’ll have loads of entertainment at your fingertips. Use this to your advantage and download a few episodes of your favorite series or a few movies if you know you’re about to take a cheap flight.
Also, make sure you have a suitable case for your device to keep it securely on the tray table and a portable charger, in case you can’t keep it plugged in during the flight. You should bring a tablet or laptop if you’re traveling with children and want to keep them entertained during the flight.
Bottom line
Flying with a low-cost airline doesn’t mean you have to have a bad experience. All you need is a little research and planning about your departure airport, airline and arrival airport. Who knows – you might even consider booking a low-cost flight instead of a full-service airline for your next trip.
