Spirit Airlines might be best known for its knee-crushing legroom, but it doesn't have to be that way. That's where Spirit's Big Front Seat shines.

Spirit sells big seats at the front of the plane that are aptly named – you guessed it – “Big Front Seats.” While nowhere near the full “first class” experience you'll get flying up front on many other airlines, it can be worth it for those travelers who can stand the thought of cramming into 28 inches of seat pitch.

It's unlike anything you'll find on almost any other ultra-low-cost carrier. And it could be one of the best deals in domestic flying if you're looking to fly in a first class seat on a budget.

Read on for our review.

 

How to Book the Big Front Seat

Upgrading to the Big Front Seat is simple. You just have to pay for it.

As the airline tries to reinvent itself amid post-pandemic struggles, Spirit is now selling bundles upfront – including a dedicated “Go Big” bundle. And the experience has gotten a big upgrade, too: Those bundles now include premium snacks, drinks, a free checked bag and carry-on bag, priority boarding, and even free onboard Wi-Fi!

What you'll pay for a Big Front Seat can vary wildly based on what route you're flying, how close you are to departure, how many seats are still available, and more. On this short flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Detroit (DTW), for example, a bundle costs $134 – $90 more than the cheapest “Go” bundle which includes … pretty much nothing. 

 

spirit airlines fare bundles

 

You can also “upgrade” to the Big Front Seat while you're booking your flight, though the cost is the same. 

 

spirit airlines seatmap showing prices for each type of seat

 

 

Finally, you can also pay to upgrade after you've booked. Again, the prices will vary wildly from flight to flight. 

For my flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Phoenix (PHX) a while back, I paid an extra $81. That brought the total cost of my one-way flight to Phoenix to $142.97.

 

spirit big front seat receipt

 

Rates were similar for the return flight, which would have brought the cost for a roundtrip flight to Phoenix flying up front to about $286. That's significantly less than you'd pay for a roundtrip first class fare on any other airline.

But as the flight drew closer, I noticed something: The price to pick a Big Front Seat had dropped. I checked again just a few days before departure and saw a few remaining seats available for just $39 apiece. Like any airline, Spirit wants their planes to go out as full as possible.

 

How are the Seats?

No matter what Spirit flight you're taking, the Big Front Seats are … well, big. Much, much bigger than what you'll find at the back of the plane – and if you ask me, bigger than most of the domestic first class seats you'll find flying the likes of Delta, United, or American.

Spirit puts just two seats across in each row of the section, which makes them much wider than your standard economy seat. And unlike the notoriously slim and hard seats in economy, these are very well padded seats.

Exactly how many Big Front Seats you'll find (and what they look like) depends on which kind of Spirit plane you're flying. Some Spirit planes don't have them at all – just 174 plain economy seats.

All of Spirit's Airbus A320s and Airbus A321s have eight Big Front Seats spread across two rows. Most of the seats look something like this, a fairly modern looking seat.

 

airplane seats

 

On their newest Airbus A320neos, the seats have an even fresher look, complete with memory foam padding and headrest as well as the signature black-and-yellow branding.

 

rendering of spirit airlines seats
Photo courtesy of Spirit

 

And then there's Spirits oldest Airbus A319 jets, with a different look. Plus, these planes have two extra big seats for a total of 10, thanks to one more two-seat section in the third row. That's what we flew down to Phoenix.

 

large blue recliner style seats on a plane

 

No matter which version you're flying, these seats officially measure in at 20 inches wide, with 36 inches of legroom – a whopping eight additional inches compared to what you get in Spirit economy. That's substantial.

But I have to say: These seats felt even bigger. The first thing that stood out to me was just how wide it felt. I've felt far more constrained flying first class on legacy U.S. carriers like American or Delta.

 

wide leather airplane seats

 

The legroom was also pretty impressive. It's not the most legroom I've ever seen up in first class … but you can't complain when you've got eight more inches of room to spread your legs than flyers behind you.

 

large recliner airplane seats from the side

large recliner airplane seats from the side

 

The seats themselves were covered in soft leather and fairly well padded. That included an adjustable headrest – something else you won't find back in Spirit economy. That said, I wish these headrests protruded a bit more as is the case Spirit's newer seats.

 

headrests on a large leather airplane seat

 

The seats on these older A319s are definitely showing their age. The leather has seen better days and some parts of the seats are more than a bit beat up. Still, it was plenty comfortable.

 

scratches on the armrest of an airline seat

 

One feature you won't find? The ability to recline. Just as throughout the rest of the plane, Spirit doesn't let you recline your seats. As you should assume, there's also no in-flight entertainment – just a blank seatback in front of you.

 

back of an airplane seat

 

There was, however, a fairly large tray table inside the armrest.

 

airplane tray table with a laptop sitting on it

 

The armrest between seats is also pretty substantial, so there's a place to put a drink – or simply not worry about rubbing elbows if you're flying next to a stranger.

 

spirit big front seat armrest

 

Unlike traditional first class on other airlines, there's no divider or curtain separating Big Front Seats from the rest of the plane. And that brings us to an important point.

 

The Rest of the Big Front Seat Experience

For years, booking a Big Front Seat got you a bigger seat … and nothing else.

That has changed. Now, you also get: 

  • A free carry-on bag,
  • A free checked bag, too
  • Priority check-in and boarding,
  • Free snacks and alcoholic drinks
  • And complimentary Wi-Fi at streaming speeds.

One unexpected challenge of flying Spirit is that there are only two lavatories onboard: One at the front and another at the rear. That means lines often form for both bathrooms. And flyers don't get special access to the lavatory up front, unlike in most traditional first class cabins. The lavatories themselves are basic, as you'd expect.

 

people standing in the front of a plane waiting to use the lavatory

 

Is it Worth It?

The Big Front Seat is exactly what it says it is. It's a big seat.

That alone can easily make it worth it. Depending on how much Spirit is charging for one of these bigger seats up front, you could fly in a massive seat for the price of economy on many other airlines. If Spirit flies the route you're looking to buy, it's worth doing some price comparison to see how a Big Front Seat would stack up against a standard economy ticket on another airline.

All that extra room can be the difference between a very pleasant flight and a miserable one for some travelers. Throw in the fact that you now get a bunch of freebies (including bags, snacks, drinks and Wi-Fi), and this level of comfort is hard to beat – especially for longer flights.

 

Bottom Line

At the right price, the Spirit Big Front Seat can be one of the best deals in domestic flying.

The seats themselves are massive, on par or better with what you'll get flying first class on most other U.S. airlines. That alone can be a game changer – especially compared to the cramped and stiff seats at the back of the plane on Spirit.