Spirit Air or AirTran...which would you choose?

[missliad]

I have not flown either airline so I have no experiences - has anyone flown both and can tell me which one they would prefer? This is a red-eye flight LAS-MCO on 12/28. Airtran is $200/pp one way - Spirit is $184/pp one way but with the baggage charge it will come to about the same as Airtran.

 

Spirit has a 2 hour layover in Ft Lauderdale whereas Airtran has a 2 hour layover in Atlanta. I am mainly looking for opinions on seat comfort - I am 5'11 and my husband is 6'2". Which one should we choose?

 

Thanks in advance!!!!

[jerseygirl3]

Being large people, neither airline will be particularly comfortable for you. However, both airlines do offer (for a fee, based on availability) the opportunity to upgrade to first class (or as Spirit calls it, "Big Front Seat"). However, be careful. Spirit is talking about doing away with the Atlantic City to Las Vegas run, so other routes may also be discontinued.

[hdawson]

AirTran is my line of choice. Be aware. More seats per flight are why some airlines can offer lower fares and be profitable. Not rocket science. AirTran is finishing up either their eighth or ninth consecutive profitable year.

[Jade13]

I have not flown either airline so I have no experiences - has anyone flown both and can tell me which one they would prefer? This is a red-eye flight LAS-MCO on 12/28. Airtran is $200/pp one way - Spirit is $184/pp one way but with the baggage charge it will come to about the same as Airtran.

 

Spirit has a 2 hour layover in Ft Lauderdale whereas Airtran has a 2 hour layover in Atlanta. I am mainly looking for opinions on seat comfort - I am 5'11 and my husband is 6'2". Which one should we choose?

 

Thanks in advance!!!!

 

I think AirTran is a great airline. I recommend them and have been on four flights in the past two weeks. They have satelitte radio which you can listen to as you land (and take off whe you can get the head phones in time - some airports have them in a basket as you board) and give you the head phones to keep. You can sometimescupgrade to business class at the airport for around $40.00. I don't think their coach class seats are is any smaller than others.

[JJPNYC]

AirTran has 30" pitch in coach on the 717's- VERY TIGHT. I'm 6'1" and have been uncomfortable on all my AirTran flights in the past and this is the main reason I won't fly them again.

 

With it being a red-eye, I'd imagine you'd like to -try- to get some sleep. As your knees will be crushed up against the seat in front of you, I'd imagine that that would be difficult.

[hdawson]

JJ. I think the OP would be on a 737 coming from Vegas. Not sure though.

[steve20832]

I would pick Spirit over Airtran. Atlanta is the worst airport and seems to always have delays there. FLL is a much nicer airport. Plus I like Airbus's (Spirit uses them) over Boeing's (which Airtran uses).

[wrp96]

Air Tran has seat width of 18" and pitch of 31" on their 737s in economy. Pitch on their 717s is 30".

 

Spirit has seat width of 17" and pitch of 31" to 33" on their A319s and A321s in economy.

 

So you'd have an inch wider seat on Air Tran but possibly more leg room on Spirit.