I’ve flown JetBlue and Spirit this year — both were budget options, both got me to my destination, and both left very different impressions.
One made me feel like an actual person.
The other made me feel like I was being shipped across the country as cargo.
If you’re here because you’re trying to decide which cheap airline is “less painful” in 2025, you’re in luck. I’ve done the legwork, survived the flights, and now I’m here to spill the brutally honest tea.
💺 Spirit Airlines: So Cheap It Hurts (Literally)
Let’s talk about Spirit first — because that’s where I made my mistake.
I booked a Spirit flight to Vegas thinking, “How bad can it be?”
Spoiler: bad enough that I swore I’d never do it again unless someone paid me.
Here’s the trick with Spirit: The base fare looks low, but by the time you add a carry-on, seat selection, and oxygen (just kidding… sort of), it’s not cheap anymore.
What I Actually Paid:
- Base fare: $129
- Carry-on bag: $49
- Seat selection: $28
- Snack and soda combo: $10
- My dignity: priceless, and gone
The plane was packed, the seats didn’t recline, and the vibe was straight-up chaotic. One guy brought a rotisserie chicken onboard. Another had a Bluetooth speaker playing TikTok memes. The flight attendants? Over it. Just… over it.
Was it survivable? Yes.
Would I do it again? Only if it were free and I had noise-canceling headphones and zero luggage.
✨ JetBlue: Slightly More Money, Way More Humanity
Two weeks later, I flew the exact same route — this time on JetBlue. Honestly, it felt like flying in business class compared to Spirit (even though it was just regular economy).
What JetBlue Included (Without Nickel-and-Diming Me):
- A carry-on and personal item
- A normal seat with decent legroom
- Free snacks (shoutout to the PopCorners!)
- Seatback entertainment
- Free, working Wi-Fi
- A flight attendant who smiled (!!!)
For just $36 more than Spirit’s “base fare” (but less when you factor in all the fees Spirit tacks on), JetBlue gave me something money can’t always buy on a budget airline: peace of mind.
💸 The Real Cost Breakdown (Spirit’s Trickery Exposed)
| Feature | Spirit Airlines | JetBlue Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Base Fare | $129 | $165 |
| Carry-On Bag | $49 | Included |
| Seat Selection | $28 | Included |
| Snacks & Drinks | $10 | Free |
| Wi-Fi | Not available | Free |
| Final Cost | $216+ | $165 |
JetBlue might look more expensive at first glance, but once you include all of Spirit’s add-ons? You’re saving your wallet and your sanity.
🧳 Baggage Policies: Be Careful with Spirit
JetBlue lets you bring:
- One personal item
- One carry-on
(With most fares, unless you’re buying Blue Basic)
Spirit, however:
- Charges for everything beyond a small backpack
- Measures bags aggressively at the gate
- Will hit you with surprise fees if your “personal item” even looks like it has ambition
Trust me, watching someone get charged $99 at the gate for a duffel bag is a special kind of horror.
📱 Customer Service: Who Actually Helps When Things Go Wrong?
Spirit:
- Calling = Hold music and heartbreak
- Chatbot = “Sorry, I didn’t get that.”
- Airport staff = “Try the app”
- App = Glitches like it’s from 2011
JetBlue:
- Tweeted them, got a real person in 12 minutes
- Phone support is surprisingly fast
- They’ve even compensated me for delays — in credits!
Let’s just say one airline makes you feel like a valued customer… the other makes you feel like a problem.
⚠️ Scam Alert: Don’t Fall for Fake Customer Service Numbers
Real talk: there are fake customer service numbers ALL over Google — especially for budget airlines.
One of my friends accidentally called a fake JetBlue number and almost got scammed into giving his credit card for “identity verification.”
Here’s how to avoid getting scammed:
✅ Only contact airlines through:
- JetBlue official site: https://www.jetblue.com/contact-us
- Spirit official site: spirit.com/help
Never trust phone numbers you find on random blogs or shady Google Ads. And definitely don’t send payment info to someone who says “we need to unlock your ticket.”
🛬 So… JetBlue vs Spirit- Who Wins in 2025?
Let’s make this simple.
Fly Spirit if:
- You’re broke
- You packed literally nothing
- You don’t mind chaos
- You enjoy rolling the dice on seat comfort
Fly JetBlue if:
- You want actual value
- You enjoy snacks and legroom
- You like not getting nickel-and-dimed
- You’d prefer to arrive at your destination calm, not furious
🧭 Final Thoughts
I’ll say this: Spirit will get you there. But you’ll feel like you just escaped a reality show challenge.
JetBlue will get you there, too — but you’ll have a snack in your hand, a show playing on your screen, and the sense that maybe, just maybe, budget flying doesn’t have to be awful.
In 2025? JetBlue takes the win. Every. Single. Time.