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On its newly-delivered planes, Spirit Airlines says it’s installing new seats that are improved over the airlines’ old ones. That’s probably right, given that the old seats represent the lowest bar in the industry, but even the new seats still aren’t up to the general industry standards: Spirit’s seats have long been about an inch narrower than the average airline seat.
What’s Changing About Spirit’s Seats
Spirit’s new standard seats are still configured in the usual three-wide arrangement for its fleet of Airbus 319, 320, and 321 aircraft, and are still keeping the current industry-minimum 28-inch pitch, with no recline feature. The main differences are (1) a seat-back shape leaving more legroom at knee level, (2) improved seat-back padding, (3) the unmovable seat backs will gain an inch of recline backwards for a more comfortable seated position, and (4) middle seats will widen from the standard 17-inch width to 18 inches. Of the seat-back shape/padding and legroom, reviews by travel writers (who tried the seats at the recent Airline Passenger Experience Association expo) are generally favorable.
Related:
Is the Middle Seat About to Get Wider on Some Planes?
You can rightly say that Spirit is widening its middle seat to entice more travelers to pick it, a rising trend that has been buzzed about for a few months now. But the airline is a bit disingenuous in hyping its wider middle seats. Spirit flies A320-family jets, and most airlines flying those jets have a minimum seat width of 18 inches throughout the cabin. Spirit originally chose to install all seats at the narrower 17-inch width to provide a wider aisle, which is useful for speeding the loading/unloading process. So by widening its middle seats to 18, but leaving the others at 17 inches, Spirit is still unnecessarily squeezing two-thirds of its passengers.
The carrier also highlights the improved knee room of the new seats. What it doesn’t highlight is whether the seats do anything to improve the waist- and shoulder-level room that travelers need to read tablets or work on laptops. A lack of recline certainly helps preserve working-level space, but I haven’t seen any reports about whether the new slightly-more-reclined position affects that space. My guess is that the new spacing above the knees is unchanged in that regard.
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Big Front Seats
Spirit has also designed its first upgraded seats, dubbed “Big Front Seats,” which still don’t recline, and are available from $22 each. The seat configuration and width are comparable to most domestic first-class standards, for a lot less: There are only two per half row (rather than three), meaning there’s no middle seat. This is a great product for travelers who want outstanding room and don’t care about other typical first class features: Some aircraft nerds are calling Spirit’s new Big Front Seats the newest “best buy.”
These seats are all an improvement over the old ones. But the standard seats still leave a lot to be desired, and the worthiness of Big Front Seats depends on if you’re willing to pay for one.
More from SmarterTravel:
- Is Buying a Second Seat on the Plane Ever Worth It?
- This New Rule on E.U. Flight Delays Could Save You Money
- Airline Fees: The Ultimate Guide
Consumer advocate Ed Perkins has been writing about travel for more than three decades. The founding editor of the Consumer Reports Travel Letter, he continues to inform travelers and fight consumer abuses every day at SmarterTravel.
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FAQs
Recently, the internet was divided over a "hack" which suggested that couples travelling together should pre-book the window and aisle seat in the same row, and hope that no one would select the middle seat between them.
Did Spirit change their seats? ›
The airline unveiled a new seat design last week, with more padding and an extra half-inch of width compared to their current economy options. The airline aims to make the middle seat more attractive, too. On Spirit, middle seats in every row are already an inch wider than the window and aisle seats.
Why do people choose the middle seat on a plane? ›
There is also the theory that the middle seat offers some of the benefits (although somewhat compromised) of both the aisle- and window-seat experiences. "You may still be able to see out the window, looking over just one person instead of two if you were at the aisle," Leff explained.
How do you get the best seats on Spirit? ›
How to pick seats on Spirit Airlines
- Pay to select seats a la carte while booking, or anytime up until check-in.
- Pay for a bundle that includes seat selection, baggage and other benefits such as priority boarding.
- Skip seat selection and pay nothing.
“If you're in a three-across seating setup on a plane, the window passenger gets the window and window-side armrest; the aisle passenger gets the aisle armrest; and the middle passenger gets to decide how they'd like to use the two in the middle.”
Why is the middle seat a hump? ›
Originally Answered: Why do most front-wheel-drive cars have a hump in the middle of their second row? This is, in most cars, the tunnel for the exhaust piping. It's more apparent in shorter cars, where the piping needs to be accommodated higher to keep the ground clearance large enough.
Which seats are bigger on Spirit? ›
Our BIG FRONT SEATs are larger seats, for those who prefer more space, in the front of the plane. Wider seats with up to 11" of additional legroom compared to our standard Deluxe Leather seats - you'll be flying in comfort when you choose our BIG FRONT SEAT.
What happens if I don't select a seat Spirit? ›
Spirit will randomly assign you a seat at check-in for free, but we can't guarantee that you'll get to sit with your friends or family.
Will Spirit seat me next to my child? ›
If Guests with children aged 13 and under do not opt to pre-select seats at the time of booking, our gate agents and Flight Attendants will work to provide adjacent seats when possible.
How do you avoid the middle seat on a plane? ›
To avoid this, check in at the latest point (but no later than three hours before flight) when all the middle seats have already been assigned to passengers who have checked in and not paid for a specific seat. That way, you'll still be given a 'random seat', but it's highly likely to be an aisle or window seat.
There's no where to go to avoid turbulence. If you are in a commercial aircraft, sitting over the wing in an aisle seat is best to minimize the effects for most cabin layouts though. You want to get as close to the center as possible over the wings in most cases. Generally, the bigger the aircraft the better as well.
Is it better to sit in the middle or back of a plane? ›
At the same time, being closer to the front means you'll be hit before those in the back, leaving us with the last row that counts one exit. As for why middle seats are safer than window or aisle seats, it's, as you might expect, because of the buffer of having people around each side.
How are Spirit seats assigned? ›
A Spirit ticket does not include an advance seat assignment. A seat is assigned last minute at online check-in or at the airport. The pickings may be slim – hello, middle seat – or you could get lucky and be randomly assigned an aisle or window seat or, even better, an exit row seat or empty Big Front Seat.
How does Spirit fill seats at check-in? ›
The Spirit Airlines seating algorithm is designed to maximize revenue by assigning seats based on factors such as fare class, membership status, and seat preference. If you are two people traveling together and do not have a preference for sitting together, it is likely that you will be assigned seats separately.
When can I pick my seats on Spirit? ›
If you are accessing your reservation more than 24 hours prior to departure you can click the Add or Modify Seats link and complete the form. If you are accessing your reservation within 24 hours prior to departure (up to 1.5 hours prior to departure) you must purchase seats through online check-in process.
What is the man's hilarious trick for keeping seats open on flights? ›
The viral clip starts by showing the grinning man while he props up his hoodie and hat using just his arm. The footage then zooms in on the man holding his fist raised in the air, which is where the hat is placed, while a black hoodie is draped around his arm to form what looks like a person.
Is the middle seat the best on a plane? ›
The middle seat has long been maligned as the worst seat on a plane. A recent trip helped me realize there are actually benefits to the middle seat. Aisle and window seats aren't all they are cracked up to be, either.
Why is the middle seat the safest seat? ›
Backseat Crash Statistics
One of the reasons the middle seat is safer than the rest is because its location gives it more space for the crumple zones.
What is the thing in the middle of the two front seats? ›
Armrest console
The term "center console" (often Median console) often extends, as well, to the armrest between the driver's and passenger's seats, which in some vehicles (such as a Toyota RAV4) features one or more storage compartments under the armrest.
