Honestly, if you told someone five years ago that Spirit Airlines would be offering a "First Class" experience with free snacks and booze, they’d probably ask what you were smoking. But here we are. The bright yellow "no-frills" pioneer has officially flipped the script.
Spirit Airlines rebrands premium carrier status isn't just a marketing facelift. It is a desperate, fascinating, and arguably necessary pivot to stay alive in an industry that has become increasingly hostile to the old-school ultra-low-cost model.
The Death of the Bare Fare?
For decades, Spirit’s business model was basically a dare. How little can we give you for $19? It worked for a while. You got a seat that didn't recline, a "personal item" limit that felt like a geometric puzzle, and a mid-flight credit card pitch. But the market changed.
The "Big Three"—Delta, United, and American—started fighting back with their own Basic Economy tiers. Suddenly, the price gap narrowed, but the "prestige" gap stayed wide. To fix this, Spirit started rolling out a brand-new hierarchy in late 2024, which they refined further throughout 2025.
They’ve ditched the confusing "Go Big" and "Go Comfy" names for something travelers actually recognize.
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The New Spirit Lineup
- Spirit First: This is the big one. It replaces the old "Go Big" bundle. You get the famous Big Front Seat (basically a domestic first-class recliner), a checked bag, a carry-on, priority everything, and—get this—complimentary snacks and drinks, including alcohol.
- Premium Economy: Replacing "Go Comfy," this tier is a bit of a moving target. Originally, it promised a blocked middle seat for extra elbow room. However, by mid-2025, Spirit started swapping that blocked seat for actual extra-legroom seats with 32 inches of pitch. You still get a carry-on and priority boarding, but the "middle seat empty" vibe is being phased out in favor of "more room for your knees."
- Value: This is the Spirit we all know. It’s the old "Go" fare. You get a seat. That's it. Everything else is an add-on.
Why This Rebrand is Actually Happening
You don't just wake up one day and decide to give away free pretzels. Spirit has been through the wringer. After the JetBlue merger collapsed in early 2024 and the airline faced a mountain of debt, they actually entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice—once in late 2024 and again in August 2025.
It's what the industry calls a "Chapter 22."
During these restructurings, CEO Dave Davis and the board realized that purely competing on price was a race to the bottom they weren't winning anymore. High fuel costs and engine issues with their Pratt & Whitney fleet meant they couldn't just fly more planes to make more money. They had to make more money from the people already on the planes.
The "Spirit First" strategy is a play for the "premium leisure" traveler. That’s the person who doesn't want to pay $800 for a Delta flight but is willing to pay $250 for a big seat and a gin and tonic on Spirit.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Change
There’s a common misconception that Spirit is becoming a "legacy" airline like United. They aren't. They are still an ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) at their core; they’re just adding a "high-value" layer on top.
Think of it like a budget hotel adding a penthouse suite. The elevator still squeaks, but the room at the top is actually pretty nice.
The Legroom War
The shift in Premium Economy is the most interesting part. In July 2025, Spirit began installing "Premium Seats" across its fleet—seven rows near the front with four extra inches of legroom. They realized that passengers value legroom more than a blocked middle seat. If you've ever tried to work on a laptop with 28 inches of pitch, you know the struggle.
Is it Working?
The jury is still out. While Spirit reported higher Net Promoter Scores (NPS) in 2025 than ever before, the financial side is still messy. They’ve had to cut routes in major hubs like Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (EWR) to focus on "profitable demand."
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Basically, they are shrinking to survive.
They’ve also revamped the Free Spirit loyalty program. You can now actually use points for these premium seats, and elite members (Gold and Silver) get free upgrades to Spirit First or Premium Economy at the gate if there’s space. It’s a huge move to keep frequent flyers from jumping ship to Southwest or Frontier.
What You Should Do Next
If you're planning to fly Spirit soon, don't just click the cheapest button and hope for the best. The value proposition has shifted.
- Compare the "Value" vs. "Spirit First" price: Sometimes the "Spirit First" upgrade is only $50 or $60 more than a base fare plus a checked bag. When you factor in the Big Front Seat and the free drinks, the "premium" option is actually the better deal.
- Check the Seat Map: If you're booking Premium Economy, look for the 32-inch pitch rows. Not every plane in the fleet has been retrofitted yet (the rollout continues through late 2026), so make sure you’re actually getting the extra space you paid for.
- Download the App: Spirit is leaning heavily into digital "Priority Check-In" for their premium tiers. Having the app is the only way to bypass the chaos at the kiosks in airports like Fort Lauderdale or Las Vegas.
The reality is that the "yellow bus" image is fading. Spirit is trying to prove that "budget" doesn't have to mean "miserable," and while the road has been incredibly rocky, the 2026 version of Spirit is a far cry from the bare-bones experience of the last decade.
Actionable Insights:
- Audit your baggage needs before booking; Spirit's new bundles often make "Spirit First" cheaper than "Value" plus multiple add-ons.
- Monitor your Free Spirit points, as the new redemption options for premium seats offer significantly better "cents-per-point" value than standard economy.
- Book the extra-legroom seats (Premium Economy) if you are over six feet tall, as the standard 28-inch pitch in the back remains one of the tightest in the industry.