American Express Platinum cardholders receive a $200 annual credit applied to offset fees charged by airlines. Almost no one chooses Spirit, here’s why I did.
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United Is My Primary Carrier
I flew United Airlines last year for just over 100,000 miles on about 70 segments almost weekly. I flew another 100,000 miles on various awards or cash tickets from business class on Korean to Spirit airlines on trips to Florida. United secured all of my business flights, but two trips on American. It is the carrier for which I am most loyal and focused.
Why Would I Choose Spirit?
So why choose Spirit? Simple. Spirit charges more fees than any other carrier I fly. United includes so much in my status that it is nearly impossible to utilize the American Express Platinum cardholder credit ($200 per card.)
If United was my chosen airline (as American was in the past) I could utilize the credit to offset the cost of lounge access. But I wouldn’t do that because my two most frequented airports (Pittsburgh and Houston-IAH) either have no United option or better choices (such as the Centurion lounge.) I would enthusiastically spend the credit if I could buy my way into the impressive Polaris lounge but that’s limited to business class long-haul international flights.
I don’t pay for bags, I don’t pay for seat assignments, I could buy upgrades but I am already not utilizing the free options at my disposal well enough.
With Spirit, however, I often pay a number of fees and with flights inexpensive enough, it makes sense to do so.
What Fees Will I Offset
An ideal Spirit flight looks much like the $14.30/each way/passenger I mentioned last week. On many occasions, we need no bags at all, but in some cases, life is easier adding $28 in checked luggage. Though Matthew disagrees, I am a big fan of Spirit’s Big Front Seat. It’s roughly the same seat as any major carrier has in first class, but it’s usually available for just $50 more in each direction.
In a given flight, like the one I booked above, I can fly for $14.30/each way, in the same seat as first class on United, with a bag if I like, on a non-stop (saving me hours.)
Conclusion
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture both have really easy travel credits to use while the American Express Platinum requires more work. I used to find creative ways to use my annual $200 airline fee credit to ensure I receive the full benefit. I am pleased to get an excellent value for money this year and use my credits fully on flights I want to take even if they are on Spirit.
What do you think? Do you hold the American Express Platinum card? How do you use your airline fee credits? Would you rather a smaller credit but an easier redemption method?
I like that United bills WiFi as United Airlines. That is what I use my credit on. I got United flights to ICN and KIX coming up and will be purchasing WiFi.
BUT!!?? I buy my checked bag, big front seat, and sometimes flex flight during the check out process thus folding these fees into the cost if the ticket… would my amex platinum pay for those or would I need to buy those after the fact? I guess I maybe asking does amex pay for my ticket? (I designated American airlines last year)
Anything other than the cost of the ticket is eligible. That includes bag fees, seat assignments and big front seats, even a $9 fare club membership.
Frontier fills this same role for me.
United is my primary domestic carrier, although because my contract includes paid domestic F and international C, I book my UA flights to Miles & More, since my status in that program gets me UA lounge access on domestic legs without having to buy lounge access and I don’t need UA upgrades or checked bags.
I use F9 for my domestic leisure travel a lot of times because their route map from DEN includes a number of destinations UA doesn’t serve nonstop and for what I’d pay for economy on UA connecting, I can often fly nonstop in one of their “Stretch Seats”, although not to the standard of NKs “Big Seat”, offer a decently comfortable product for the typically under 3 hours flights I take with them. Better still, I find F9’s performance during irregular ops leagues beyond what NK manages (although still far worse than any legacy carrier).
I have Spirit as my airline for my Gold card, use it to pay for $9 fare club which triggers credit.
I can never predict what airline I will fly, so WN is always my go-to airline selection thanks to refundable award ticket fees. As such, always get full reimbursement even when I never happen to fly on WN. That said, thanks to WN’s reasonable refund policies, they’ve gain my loyalty like no other airline has.
You wouldn’t spend 200 on WiFi anyways?
That’s what I use my AMEX Plat travel credit for.
I have a place in Costa Rica, and Spirit flies direct from my town to San José. It’s a no-brainer to pick them, in my case. Almost five free Big Front Seats per year, and I never need luggage, as I have clothing, toiletries, etc waiting for me.
I think it’s a great idea.
I use mine on United when I visit my mother every year, and take my pup “Henry” along. Since I’m not faking any need for emotional support, this covers part of the ridiculous pet fee—$125 each way— to bring what amounts to a carry-on (with him in it) into the cabin.