• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Home  >  Spirit  >  The Value of Spirit Airlines’ Free Spirit Points
Spirit

The Value of Spirit Airlines’ Free Spirit Points

Kyle Stewart Posted onJuly 17, 2022July 16, 2022 5 Comments
My dear readers, some links on this site pay us referral fees for sending business and sales. We value your time and money and will not waste it. For our complete advertising policy, click here. The content on this page is not provided by any companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone.

We evaluate a number of loyalty programs for the value of their points and the program. Here is what Spirit Airlines’ Free Spirit points are worth.


If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support LiveAndLetsFly.com.


If you haven’t followed us on Facebook or Instagram, add us today.

How To Earn Free Spirit Points

Spirit Airlines’ loyalty program, Free Spirit, was revamped in the last couple of years to form a fairly compelling program even for seasoned road warriors in the US. In fact, with the exception of complimentary upgrades to Spirit’s Big Front Seat (comparable to domestic First Class on United, Delta, and American) the program offers more in Spirit elite status Gold level than any other carrier at a comparable 50,000 mile/year level.

Like other carriers, Free Spirit loyalty program participants earn points for flying based on the tier level and cash prices of the airfare, status members earn more. But what Spirit did that no other carrier has matched, is incentivizing ancillary purchases at an even higher level. For example, buying wifi onboard can earn up to 20 points per dollar regardless of the credit card issuer, while travelers on American, for example, would have to be American Airlines credit cardholders to earn ANY points for the same purchase. This extends to seat selection, food onboard, etc.

Check out this comprehensive post about the new program.

The Free Spirit credit card also has an elevated offer of 60,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within three months of account opening.  (Editorial note: we don’t receive compensation from the Free Spirit card, it’s just information.)

Establishing A Value

Some travel writers will speculate about the value of points based on the maximum possible value a redemption can incur. For example, I once booked a business class ticket using American Airlines Advantage miles for 110,000 roundtrip to Southeast Asia that retailed for $18,000; in this example, each mile would be worth 16.36¢. That, however, doesn’t reflect the value to me because I would never pay $18,000 out of pocket, it didn’t replace that for me. For others who may only use their miles for trips to Mexico, their value is closer to 1¢/point as that’s what it replaces from a cash price they would pay for the same route and flight.

However, unlike those cases of intrinsic value, Spirit Airlines uses a fixed value. They will never tell a consumer this value per point, it has to be ascertained through planned bookings. While redemptions start at 2,500 for elite Free Spirit members and cardholders, that doesn’t really speak to the value Spirit places on each point.

I took an example for a route today from Fort Lauderdale to Pittsburgh on a simple one-way fare. The cost was $108 in cash, or 11,000 points, or 4,400 points and $86.

spirit airlines points value FLL-PIT cash

On a full redemption (remember that this will exlcude any redemption fees the carrer charges), the airline is giving members just less than one penny per point or 0.98¢.

spirit airlines points value FLL-PIT points

Using a cash and points redemption, we take out the co-pay ($108-86 = 42) and then do the math: $42/4,400 points = 0.95¢/point.

spirit airlines points value FLL-PIT points and cash

I did the same experiment with a flight today to Los Angeles. The cash rate for this flight is $280 for saver’s club (slightly lower airfare, lowering the overall value for standard members) but we find different math when looking at the other options and from the prior redemption.

spirit airlines points value FLL-LAX cash

For cash and points on this booking, we start at $280 subtract the $200 co-pay leaving 12,600 points for an $80 savings. This equates to a rate 1/3rd worse at 0.63¢/point.

spirit airlines points value cash and points FLL-LAX

The points-only redemption is 31,500 points in exchange for $280 or 0.88¢/point.

spirit airlines points value FLL-LAX points

One more round was Fort Lauderdale to New York Laguardia. The cash price (not saver’s club) was $132, points redemption was 13,000, and the cash and points price was $97 and 5,200 points. The value on a redemption was just over 1¢ per point, but on a cash and points basis, the value was 0.67¢/point.

Based on these three examples, I assess the value of Free Spirit points to be 0.83¢/point.

This is a certain case of your miles may vary based on which Spirit flights you fly and how you use your points. The most consistent factor is that cash and points are not a good value if you have enough points to pay for the full flight redemption outright.

How Does Free Spirit Compare?

Many programs have stated fixed values for their points. Southwest is at just under 1.4¢/point, JetBlue is closer to 1.3¢/point, but other programs are not so clear. As I mentioned before, value is personal and I find the most value in Alaska Airlines miles (2.0¢/point), Delta has some bright spots on extreme mileage discounts or when premium awards can be booked at saver rates for partners like Air France and Virgin Atlantic, but generally speaking I rate them about equal to Spirit. United and American have slipped some to about 1.2¢/point though again, there are bright spots smattered around the programs.

For what it’s worth, American Express points when converted to cash are worth exactly 1¢/point.

Conclusion

Spirit Airlines points value is between 0.63 and 1¢/point though we found the average to rest at about 0.83¢/point. If you fly Spirit, there are some good opportunities to accumulate points and there’s more value than critics would suggest. That said, the swing is larger than I would have imagined, and other than points that are accumulated from Spirit flights or potentially the credit card, I would encourage most to use cash instead to buy their tickets.

What do you think? Is the value of Free Spirit points what you imagined? Have you had a better/worse experience redeeming points?

Previous Article Summer Travel Woes Worst At These US Airports
Next Article American Airlines Combats Pilot Shortage By Reducing Passenger Ratio

About Author

Kyle Stewart

Kyle is a freelance travel writer with contributions to Time, the Washington Post, MSNBC, Yahoo!, Reuters, Huffington Post, MapHappy, Live And Lets Fly and many other media outlets. He is also co-founder of Scottandthomas.com, a travel agency that delivers "Travel Personalized." He focuses on using miles and points to provide a premium experience for his wife and daughter. Email: sherpa@thetripsherpa.com

Follow us on FacebookFollow us on Twitter

Related Posts

  • JetBlue Paris

    Irrefutable Proof The JetBlue-Spirit Merger Hurts Consumers

    March 12, 2023
  • JetBlue spirit merger NEA

    JetBlue-Spirit Airlines Merger: DOJ Drags Feet On Suit

    March 5, 2023
  • Spirit Airlines Fire

    Spirit Airlines To Become Second Largest From San Juan

    February 19, 2023

5 Comments

  1. Dave Edwards Reply
    July 17, 2022 at 1:53 pm

    “ with the exception of complimentary upgrades to Spirit’s Big Front Seat (comparable to domestic First Class on United, Delta, and American) ”

    Other than seat size, how is it comparable?

    • Kyle Stewart Reply
      July 17, 2022 at 2:14 pm

      @Dave Edwards – I was referring solely to the seat measurements in the parentheses.

      • Dave Edwards Reply
        July 17, 2022 at 3:06 pm

        Makes sense Kyle. Thanks for the clarification!

  2. DaninMCI Reply
    July 17, 2022 at 2:03 pm

    If you have the credit card and also use your Amex Platinum card to pay for the savers club you can score some good deals with Spirit but it’s a bit limited in reality and experience I’ve had.

  3. Carl Reply
    July 25, 2022 at 6:42 pm

    Ummm in my math 108 -86 = 22, not 42.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Recent Posts

  • Why Did United Premier Silver Get Upgrade Ahead Of Premier Platinum? March 31, 2023
  • Frontier Airlines Pilot Selfie
    Frontier Airlines Passengers Pranked By Pilot “Selfie” March 31, 2023
  • Review: Stephanie’s Boston Logan Airport (Priority Pass Restaurant) March 31, 2023
  • Faroe Islands Trip Report
    Introduction: A Journey To The Magical Faroe Islands On Star Alliance March 30, 2023

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Kayleigh Scott United Airlines
    The Tragic Death Of A United Airlines Flight Attendant March 21, 2023
  • Delta SkyMiles Schedule Change
    UPDATE: Delta Air Lines Strands Senior Citizens In Middle East After Absurd Schedule Change March 29, 2023
  • Southwest Airlines Wife Slap
    Enraged Husband Attacks Man On Southwest Airlines Flight After He Bumps Wife March 8, 2023
  • United Polaris Lounge LAX Review
    Review: United Airlines Polaris Lounge Los Angeles (LAX) March 24, 2023

Archives

March 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Feb    

As seen on:

live_and_lets_fly

The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the most beautiful of all Polaris Lounges. Stay tuned for a detailed look and many more photos on the blog tomorrow. Well done @united.
@malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire i @malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire its A380 fleet. While not surprising, it is sad to see the growing list of carriers retiring this superjumbo jet. On Malaysia Airlines, I flew the #A380 once from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) and had the entire first class cabin to myself (full review on the blog). It was a beautiful flight that I will always remember.
Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited tha Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited that a new carrier, Avelo, has launched, especially from an airport just 12 minutes from my home!
I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxairport. Hopefully this summer it will return.

.
.
.
.
#Lufthansa #FirstClass #747 #747-8 #StarAlliance #Miles #Points
I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. This is not only a lovely, all-inclusive resort, but one of the best properties to use your @hyatt World of Hyatt points.
.
.
.
.
#Hyatt #BigSur #California #WorldofHyatt #CA-1 #Points #Hotels
In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E In terms of a spacious first class product, the @Emirates suite on a 777-300ER is hard to beat. My preference is Suite 2K.

.
.
.
.
#Emirates #777 #firstclass
Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from I Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from Instagram ahead of the birth of my first child. Goodness, how time flies. While I’ve enjoyed catching up on others over the years, now it is time for me to return to Instagram. In this first post, I highlight two joys in my life, my two children, whom I trust will grow up to be prolific travelers that circumnavigate the globe as ambassadors of love and respect.

.
.
.
.
.

#travel #airplanes #airlines #miles #points #familytravel #human #integrity #honor
United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improvement over UA's current business class seat. Check out my blog at liveandletsfly.com for 70+ photos of how @united is transforming its entire business class experience starting this December!
The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben! The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben!
Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen - Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -- oh, and I love 40°F summer weather!
One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure of flying with in all my years of flying. Thank you @flysas SK940 on 11 Aug 2016
Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I a Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I assign a window seat months in advance, don't move me to a center seat "for my convenience" with no way to get my original seat back... 😞
Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be racing the #Delta flight to JFK at the gate next to us, which also departs at 12:45p. With @onemileatatime
Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregenc Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregencycasablanca #cassablanca #hyatt
Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the inside of the @grandhyatt_shanghai ... It is 40°C outside! 😓
From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minut From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minutes flat. I ❤️ #bur #burbankairport
@malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in se @malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in service at #kul -- beautiful livery!
View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful bran View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful brand new @parkhyattguangzhou -- look for a full review coming soon on the blog #hyatt #parkhyatt #guangzhou #parkhyattguangzhou
Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, which closes tomorrow and the Queen of the Skies #747 which will be retired in 2018.
The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. If you're ever here, get up at 5am and have a walk around the city before it gets busy. You can hear the birds instead of honking horns.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
facebook twitter instagram rss

This site is for entertainment purposes only. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances.

 

Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners.

 

Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.