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Which is better Spirit or Southwest?

Southwest offers all-in pricing with bags included and charges extra only for WiFi, alcohol, and premium boarding positions. It's often a better deal (or a comparable one) to your all-in Spirit price. But in this case, when it wasn't, Spirit offers a tolerable, albeit uncomfortable, alternative.



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Though Spirit is attractive to more frequent international travelers, has Wi-Fi available and offers more credit card options, there's still a clear winner according to our 2023 airline-industry analysis: Frontier.

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Top 10 best domestic airlines 2023 Southwest Airlines is the second highest-rated domestic airline, with a score of 5.56. While the airline only scored 2 out of 5 for its in-flight entertainment, Southwest excelled thanks to its baggage allowance policy.

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Spirit airlines ranked second best airline in U.S. says WalletHub survey. HOUSTON - With summer approaching and many people taking time off to travel for vacations, choosing the right airline can impact how much you enjoy your trip and WalletHub released a new survey with the Best Airlines of 2023.

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Flight problems such as delays and cancellations were the top grievance for travelers, while other top complaint categories included baggage, customer service, and reservations/ticketing/boarding.

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Southwest Airlines' business model is based on extremely efficient operations, low-cost pricing, and innovative logistics solutions. Furthermore, their strategy also includes a deep focus on customer experience and looking ahead. Finally, none of this would be possible without a motivated team of employees.

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In some sense, Spirit's bad reputation is not without merit. The airline is rightly criticized for its misleading fee system, which shows you a low price — called a “bare fare” — but has a substantial catch: The price you see frequently includes only a small personal item and the flight ticket.

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Streamlined fleet: Unlike large airlines, carriers like Spirit operate a single family of aircraft, meaning they can streamline training and reduce supply chain costs. Spirit planes are also newer and more fuel efficient, a Spirit representative told Cheapism.

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Online customer reviews tend to agree with Skytrax's assessment. According to the 2022 Airline Quality Rating report, Southwest was ranked as the No. 1 airline in 2021 and 2020. In addition, Southwest had the second lowest consumer complaint rate in 2021.

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Southwest remains a solid airline choice The Southwest policies on fees are very generous and tailor-made for uncertain COVID-era travel: No fees to cancel or change a flight, every passenger gets two free checked bags, and it's easier than ever to earn elite status.

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Spirit Airlines' standard economy seats have 28 inches of seat pitch. Most airlines' economy class seats have 30 inches of seat pitch. Spirit Airlines' standard seats have tiny tray tables — you can't fit a laptop on them. However, Spirit's Big Front Seats guarantee an additional six inches of legroom.

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Southwest Airlines safety record According to AirlineRatings.com, Southwest Airlines has a 7/7 safety rating in 2023. However, Southwest is no longer part of the top 20 safest airlines in the world, like it was in 2021.

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In addition to its commercial and financial success, Southwest Airlines is known for its excellent customer service. Southwest has built an impeccable reputation by putting customers first and by making sure their employees are content and financially secure.

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Southwest follows an open seating style, meaning there are no assigned seats. You'll be assigned a boarding group (either A, B, or C) and position (1-60+) upon check-in, which determines your boarding order. Once on board, you choose your seat.

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Can I take a carry-on and a backpack at the same time on Southwest Airlines? Yes. Your backpack could count as your personal item, as long as it fits underneath the seat in front of you.

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A major factor has to be its service, which in my experience is far less surly and prone to power-trips than on other airlines. Their crew members aren't perfect, but it's not uncommon to see Southwest flight attendants smiling, joking and singing as they go about their job.

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Just how strict is Spirit? It's a question we hear all the time in the US travel community, and here's the latest. Spirit Airlines are very strict and limit passengers to one personal item unless you pay for additional luggage. If your luggage is deemed oversized at the gate, you risk having to pay penalties.

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