Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant—are they really cheaper? Here's the honest math on ultra-low-cost carriers.
Every Boise traveler has seen those impossibly cheap fares from Spirit, Frontier, or Allegiant pop up in flight searches. $49 to Las Vegas! $89 to Los Angeles! $129 to Phoenix! The prices seem too good to pass up, until you start reading the fine print and adding fees. Ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs) have transformed air travel, but knowing when they're genuinely the best deal requires understanding their business model and honestly assessing your travel needs.
Understanding the Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier Model
Budget airlines operate fundamentally differently from traditional carriers. Understanding their approach helps you make informed decisions about when to book with them.
The Base Fare Illusion
Ultra-low-cost carriers advertise base fares that cover nothing beyond a seat and the right to bring one small personal item. Everything else, checked bags, carry-on bags, seat selection, snacks, drinks, even printing your boarding pass at the airport, costs extra. That $49 fare might easily become $150+ once you add the services most travelers consider standard.
A La Carte Pricing Philosophy
Budget airlines argue their model is fairer: why should travelers who pack light subsidize those who check multiple bags? This logic has merit, but only if you can genuinely travel with minimal luggage and don't mind sitting in a random middle seat. For Boise travelers who know their habits, honestly assessing what you'll need determines whether budget carriers offer real savings.
The "Big Front Seat" and Premium Options
Most budget airlines offer upgraded seat options with more legroom and sometimes included perks. Spirit's Big Front Seats, for example, provide significantly more space and are often priced competitively with main cabin on legacy carriers. These options complicate the comparison, sometimes making budget airlines competitive even for comfort-seeking travelers.
Budget Airline Options from Boise
Boise Airport sees service from several ultra-low-cost carriers, each with different route networks and service patterns.
Allegiant Air
Allegiant has operated from Boise for years, specializing in leisure routes to destinations like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix-Mesa, and San Diego. They typically fly 2-4 times weekly to each destination rather than daily, requiring flexibility but often offering very low fares. Allegiant's infrequent service means you must plan around their schedule, but for flexible travelers, they provide genuine bargains.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier serves Boise with routes to Denver and seasonal service to other destinations. Their frequent Denver flights connect to Frontier's broader network, though connecting on ultra-low-cost carriers adds complexity and risk. For direct routes, Frontier often competes aggressively with Southwest and legacy carriers.
Spirit Airlines
Spirit's Boise service varies seasonally, but when operating, they serve destinations like Las Vegas and sometimes coastal cities. Spirit has invested heavily in improving reliability and customer experience in recent years, though their reputation still suffers from earlier struggles.
Breaking Down the True Costs
Comparing budget airlines to traditional carriers requires calculating total costs, not just base fares. Here's what to consider.
Baggage Fees
This is where budget airlines make much of their revenue. Typical fees range from $30-50 for carry-on bags and $35-65 for checked bags, each way. A round trip with one checked bag might add $130-200 to your base fare. Compare this to Southwest, which includes two free checked bags, or legacy carriers' fare bundles that often include checked bags.
Seat Selection
Budget carriers charge $5-50 per segment for seat selection, depending on the seat's desirability. Traveling with family and need to sit together? Add $20-100+ to ensure you're not scattered throughout the plane. Solo travelers who don't mind random seat assignment save this money, but families or couples often find seat fees adding up quickly.
Ancillary Services
Snacks, drinks, blankets, and even water on budget carriers cost extra. While most travelers can manage a 3-4 hour flight without airline food, longer flights might require purchasing onboard items. Savvy travelers pack their own snacks to avoid $5 cookie boxes.
Airport and Boarding Fees
Some budget carriers charge to print boarding passes at the airport or to use airport kiosks. Mobile check-in is free, so ensure you have the app installed and check in online to avoid these unnecessary charges.
When Budget Airlines Save Real Money
Despite all the fees, certain situations make budget carriers genuinely the cheapest option for Boise travelers.
Solo Travelers with Minimal Luggage
The ideal budget airline passenger travels alone, packs light enough for a personal item, doesn't care about seat assignment, and brings their own snacks. If this describes you, budget carriers often cost 30-50% less than legacy airlines for the same routes. A weekend Vegas trip with just a backpack might cost $120 roundtrip on Allegiant versus $250+ on Southwest or Delta.
Flexible Travel Dates
Budget airline pricing fluctuates dramatically. Their lowest fares appear on less popular travel days: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and off-peak seasons. Travelers with flexible schedules can capture genuine deals that rigid planners miss. Check fare calendars across the entire month to identify the cheapest specific dates.
Short, Leisure-Focused Routes
Budget carriers excel on short leisure routes where base fares matter most. Las Vegas weekend trips, quick hops to Phoenix for spring training, or beach getaways to Southern California represent their sweet spot. For these trips, the discomfort and restrictions matter less than longer journeys where you'd value amenities more.
Large Group Travel
Counter-intuitively, budget airlines sometimes work better for groups who can share checked bags. Four people traveling together might share two checked bags rather than paying for four individual bags, reducing per-person bag costs significantly.
When to Avoid Budget Airlines
Equally important is recognizing situations where budget carriers cost more or deliver worse experiences than the fare savings justify.
Business Travel
Budget airlines offer little schedule flexibility for delays and cancellations. If missing your meeting costs more than the fare difference, book a legacy carrier with better reliability and rebooking options. The stress of uncertain connections isn't worth saving $50-100.
Connection-Required Itineraries
Connecting on budget carriers is risky. Their minimal staff and resources make rebooking difficult if you miss connections. Their fewer daily flights mean delays might strand you overnight. For any itinerary requiring connections, legacy carriers with robust networks and interline agreements provide essential protection.
Family Travel with Young Children
Families with young children face compounding costs: multiple checked bags (car seats, strollers, diapers), mandatory seat selection to sit together, and the stress of tight timelines and uncertain gate assignments. These scenarios often make Southwest (free bags, no seat fees, family boarding) or basic economy on legacy carriers better values.
Red-Eye and Long-Haul Flights
Budget airline seats are objectively less comfortable than legacy carriers, with tighter pitch and thinner padding. For short daytime flights, this matters little. For overnight flights or journeys exceeding 4-5 hours, the discomfort becomes significant. Consider whether saving $50-100 is worth arriving exhausted and achy.
Strategies for Flying Budget Airlines Successfully
If budget airlines make sense for your trip, these strategies help you minimize frustrations and maximize value.
Book Early for Best Fares
Budget carrier fares tend to rise closer to departure more dramatically than legacy carriers. Book 2-3 months ahead for domestic routes to capture the best prices. Last-minute budget airline fares often exceed legacy carrier prices, eliminating any cost advantage.
Consider Bundled Options
Most budget airlines offer bundles that combine bags, seats, and other perks. Run the math comparing a la carte pricing versus bundles for your specific needs. Sometimes bundles provide better value, especially if you need multiple services.
Pack Strategically
Master the art of fitting everything into a personal item that fits under the seat in front of you. Compression bags, capsule wardrobes, and leaving non-essentials at home transform budget airline economics. For weekend trips, challenging yourself to personal-item-only packing saves real money.
Use Credit Card Protections
Many travel credit cards offer trip delay insurance, lost luggage coverage, and other protections that offset budget airline reliability concerns. Book with an appropriate card to gain peace of mind without paying the airline for insurance.
Arrive Early and Stay Patient
Budget airline operations often involve tighter turnarounds and leaner staffing. Arrive earlier than you might for legacy carriers, check in online, and maintain patience if things go wrong. The savings come with trade-offs; accepting this mentally helps you handle hiccups without excessive frustration.
Comparing Total Costs: A Real Example
Let's compare actual total costs for a realistic Boise trip: a weekend in Las Vegas for a couple checking one bag.
Allegiant Direct Flight
Base fare: $89 roundtrip. Add checked bag: $70 roundtrip. Add seat selection (two people): $40 roundtrip. Total: approximately $200 per person, $400 for the couple.
Southwest with Connection
Typical fare: $180 roundtrip. Bags: free. Seat selection: free (open seating). Total: $180 per person, $360 for the couple. Plus, Southwest's flexibility policies allow changes without fees.
In this scenario, Southwest actually costs less while providing better service. The lesson: always calculate total costs rather than comparing base fares.
The Future of Budget Airlines from Boise
Budget carrier service from Boise continues evolving. Airlines add and drop routes based on demand and competition. Stay flexible and monitor multiple options when planning trips. Sign up for fare alerts from both budget and legacy carriers to capture the best deals regardless of who's operating them.
Competition Benefits Consumers
Budget airline presence in markets often forces legacy carriers to lower their own prices. Even if you prefer Southwest or Alaska, be grateful that Allegiant and Frontier serve Boise, their competition keeps everyone's prices lower.
Making Informed Choices
Budget airlines aren't inherently good or bad; they're simply different. Understanding when they make sense and when they don't empowers you to make choices that maximize both value and travel experience. For the right trips with the right expectations, ultra-low-cost carriers save Boise travelers real money. For other situations, paying more for traditional carriers is money well spent.
Your next Las Vegas weekend might be perfect for Allegiant. Your family trip to visit relatives might be much better on Southwest. Knowing the difference, and calculating honestly, ensures you get the best deal for each specific journey from Boise Airport.