14 Best Ways To Redeem Spirit Free Spirit Points for Max Value
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Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, an American airline headquartered in Florida, operates flights to over 75 destinations in the U.S., Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America.
The 2 main draws of Spirit are the low cost of its flights and the unique routes the airline flies throughout North, Central, and South America.
One thing many people don’t appreciate about the airline is the additional fees you’ll need to pay — fees that many Spirit flyers, unfortunately, learn that other airlines don’t typically charge for (at least not separate from higher ticket prices).
In this article, we’ll detail how you can earn Spirit Airlines Free Spirit points, and most importantly, the best ways to redeem Free Spirit points for maximum value.
Table of contents
- Spirit Airlines Free Spirit Points
- Booking a Spirit Airlines Flight With Free Spirit Points
- The 14 Best Ways To Use Your Free Spirit Points
- Atlanta To/From Phoenix
- Atlanta To/From San Juan
- Dallas To/From San Juan
- Denver To/From Atlanta
- Denver To/From Seattle
- Los Angeles To/From Chicago
- Los Angeles To/From Dallas
- Los Angeles To/From Orlando
- Los Angeles To/From Seattle
- Newark To/From Atlanta
- Newark To/From Denver
- Newark To/From Orlando
- Orlando To/From San Juan
- Phoenix To/From Chicago
- Final Thoughts
Table of Contents
- Spirit Airlines Free Spirit Points
- Booking a Spirit Airlines Flight With Free Spirit Points
- The 14 Best Ways To Use Your Free Spirit Points
- 1. Atlanta To/From Phoenix
- 2. Atlanta To/From San Juan
- 3. Dallas To/From San Juan
- 4. Denver To/From Atlanta
- 5. Denver To/From Seattle
- 6. Los Angeles To/From Chicago
- 7. Los Angeles To/From Dallas
- 8. Los Angeles To/From Orlando
- 9. Los Angeles To/From Seattle
- 10. Newark To/From Atlanta
- 11. Newark To/From Denver
- 12. Newark To/From Orlando
- 13. Orlando To/From San Juan
- 14. Phoenix To/From Chicago
- Final Thoughts
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit Points
Similar to low-cost airlines Southwest and JetBlue, Spirit Airlines is not in an airline alliance — so you’ll only be able to redeem Free Spirit points for flights on the airline itself. Whereas you could use Korean Air miles to fly on a Delta Air Lines flight to Europe, a similar scenario is simply not the case with Spirit.
Another aspect of Spirit to be aware of is that the airline doesn’t partner with the transferable point programs American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, or Marriott Bonvoy. This means that points earned in any of the programs mentioned above can’t be transferred directly to Spirit to book an award flight.
For example, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to British Airways to fly on an American Airlines flight. Spirit doesn’t have any of these types of partnerships, so you’ll need to consider another low-cost carrier like JetBlue or Southwest instead if you need to book with transferable points.
Spirit Airlines Credit Cards
The most efficient way to earn Spirit Airlines points outside of flying on a Spirit flight is to put your spending on one of the airline’s co-branded credit cards: the Free Spirit® Travel More World Elite Mastercard® or the Free Spirit® Travel Mastercard®.
While we’d rather earn transferable points from our credit card spending, earning Free Spirit points from one of the Spirit Airlines credit cards is great for travelers who fly the airline on a regular basis.
Bottom Line: Outside of flying on Spirit Airlines, putting your spending on the Spirit Airlines credit card will be one of the most efficient ways to earn Spirit Airlines points that can then be used to book an award flight.
Booking a Spirit Airlines Flight With Free Spirit Points
It’s important to note that Spirit Airlines made a few changes to its Free Spirit program in 2021. It no longer uses a distance-based award chart and has instead replaced it with dynamic award pricing. Free Spirit credit cardholders also no longer have unique or specific access to book flights on off-peak dates.
Redemptions now start at 2,500 points and the points required for an award can fluctuate — from 2,500 points one day to over 20,000 points just a few days later.
If you book an award flight more than 28 days prior to departure, there is no redemption fee. For those looking to travel with less than 28 days’ notice, the redemption fee is $50 per guest. Free Spirit Silver and Gold elite members and primary cardholders of the Free Spirit World Elite card do not pay redemption fees.
Hot Tip: With these extra fees, the value of your points can decrease significantly, so keep that in mind before booking an award flight.
The 14 Best Ways To Use Your Free Spirit Points
Before jumping into how best to use your Free Spirit points, we recommend checking out our Spirit Airlines Free Spirit Loyalty Program Review and Best Ways to Earn Free Spirit Points posts.
With the groundwork of the program laid out in those posts, you’ll be more familiar with the program, how it works, and where to find the most value.
Our focus for this article is on redemptions of more than 2 cents in value, but your mileage may vary depending on how the award was dynamically priced when you booked your flight.
To achieve the best value at the lowest cost, you need to be flexible in terms of travel dates. Many of these flights have horrendous connections and travel times, but that’s what you should expect from the program.
With that said, here are the best ways to use Free Spirit points, all starting from 2,500 Free Spirit points.
1. Atlanta To/From Phoenix
If you’re looking to experience nice weather in January or February, why not check out the Southwest?
Starting at 2,500 Free Spirit points, you can book a one-way flight between Atlanta (ATL) and Phoenix (PHX).
The taxes and fees are only $5.60, but keep in mind that the connections on this route aren’t great.
2. Atlanta To/From San Juan
Let’s head to the Caribbean for a low-mileage redemption from the East Coast.
Starting at 2,500 Free Spirit points, you can book a one-way flight between Atlanta (ATL) and San Juan (SJU) to enjoy the beach.
Unfortunately, there are no nonstop options for this route — but the upside is low taxes and fees at just $5.60.
Hot Tip: Priority Pass members, like cardholders of The Platinum Card® from American Express, should check out the full list of airport lounges at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International [ATL] to see which 2 lounges they have access to.
3. Dallas To/From San Juan
When traveling to Puerto Rico, there’s another redemption from the middle of the U.S. to consider.
Starting at 2,500 Free Spirit points, you can book a one-way flight between Dallas (DFW) and San Juan (SJU).
There are a handful of 1-stop flights that you should book, so keep that in mind before shelling out $5.60 in taxes and fees.
4. Denver To/From Atlanta
The connections and travel times aren’t great on this route, but the upside is that you’re not using that many points.
Use as little as 2,500 Free Spirit points to book a one-way flight between Denver (DEN) and Atlanta (ATL).
Just like the first redemption, the taxes and fees are great at only $5.60.
5. Denver To/From Seattle
Seattle makes for an exciting city break, with plenty of opportunities for outdoor pursuits and a great food and art scene.
Starting at 2,500 Free Spirit points, you can book a one-way flight between Denver (DEN) and Seattle (SEA).
This redemption continues with our theme of low taxes and fees at just $5.60.
Hot Tip: Make sure to check out the American Express Centurion Lounges in Seattle and Denver if you have the Amex Platinum card.
6. Los Angeles To/From Chicago
Chicago is a great place to visit in the summer, so why not get there with minimal mileage outlay and a nonstop flight?
Book a one-way flight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Chicago (ORD) with as little as 2,500 Free Spirit points.
As you’re enjoying deep dish pizza in the Windy City, you should smile knowing that you paid only $5.60 in taxes and fees.
Hot Tip: Are you looking for the best ways to fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago (ORD)? Our guide offers several alternative frequent flyer programs and airlines to use!
7. Los Angeles To/From Dallas
Another 3-hour nonstop flight to check out is from the West Coast to the middle of the country.
Get from Los Angeles (LAX) to Dallas (DFW) (or vice versa) with as few as 2,500 Free Spirit points.
In addition to having a couple of nonstop flight options, what makes this a nice redemption is that the taxes and fees are still only $5.60.
Hot Tip: Depending on which airport you depart from, cardholders of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and Amex Platinum card have access to Centurion Lounges and Priority Pass lounges in Dallas and Los Angeles.
8. Los Angeles To/From Orlando
From Walt Disney World to Disneyland, Spirit makes it easy for amusement park fans to jump from coast-to-coast.
Book a one-way flight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Orlando (MCO) using as little as 2,500 Free Spirit points.
As we’ve seen with other flights in the U.S., $5.60 is what you’ll pay in taxes and fees.
9. Los Angeles To/From Seattle
This West Coast redemption doesn’t have any nonstop options for such a short distance, but hey, you don’t need that many points!
Just as few as 2,500 Free Spirit points will get you a one-way flight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Seattle (SEA).
Mirroring the previous redemptions, you’re still only looking at $5.60 in taxes and fees here.
10. Newark To/From Atlanta
Switching from the West Coast to the East Coast here with this redemption, where you’ll pick up a 2.5-hour nonstop flight along the coast.
You can book a one-way flight between Newark (EWR) and Atlanta (ATL) with as little as 2,500 Free Spirit points.
And again, $5.60 in taxes and fees is all you’ll need to pay for this flight.
11. Newark To/From Denver
Whether you’re escaping the hustle and bustle of the city for fresh mountain air, or maybe the other way around, Spirit can take you where you want to go.
Starting at 2,500 Free Spirit points, you can book a one-way flight between Newark (EWR) and Denver (DEN).
While you’re spending an arm and a leg on lift passes for skiing, you’ll pick up some savings with only $5.60 in taxes and fees for this flight.
Hot Tip: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) has 3 Priority Pass lounges that you can access with a number of different rewards cards.
12. Newark To/From Orlando
Heading from the northeast to Disney on a 3-hour nonstop flight is a redemption many will appreciate.
Travel between Newark (EWR) and Orlando (MCO) starting at 2,500 Free Spirit points.
While Disney may not be cheap, the taxes and fees on this route are at only $5.60.
13. Orlando To/From San Juan
This flight from Florida to the Caribbean is just under 3 hours and brings you to the oldest city in the U.S. and its territories.
With as few as 2,500 Free Spirit points, you can book a one-way flight between Orlando (MCO) and San Juan (SJU).
What’s also great about this redemption is that the taxes and fees are low at $5.60.
Hot Tip: The San Juan airport has 2 Priority Pass lounges that are great to use if you have a credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card that comes with priority lounge access.
14. Phoenix To/From Chicago
2 destinations we’ve previously-mentioned have a nonstop flight you should look into: with as few as 2,500 Free Spirit points, you can book a one-way flight between Phoenix (PHX) and Chicago (ORD).
If possible, try to book this nonstop flight before paying the requisite $5.60 in taxes and fees.
Final Thoughts
Spirit Airlines and its Free Spirit program can actually provide value if you know where to look.
What’s hopefully evident is that there are pockets of redemptions that offer more than 2 cents per point in value and get you from point A to point B cheaply.
The downside with Spirit is that you don’t have access to premium cabins, the flight connections can be bad, and there’s no opportunity to leverage a partner airline network.
As with all low-cost airlines, it’s important to factor in the cost of the flight to make sure you’re at least receiving some value for those hard-earned airline points!
You say that a Region 3 connecting flight is only 7,500 miles when booked for an Off-Peak season, which is what I also understood from the mileage chart. But I just tried to book one tonight and they first tried to charge me 37,500 miles each way, and then 15,000.
The 37,500 miles was because apparently 11/2 is a Premium season and not an OffPeak like the chart says.
And the 15,000 miles is because they want to charge 7,500 for each leg of the flight. So any connecting flight will be double what the mileage chart says. But I mean, what region 3 or 4 flight isn’t going to be connecting????
How’d you get around this?
Thank you
Hi Gary,
Thanks for letting us know. We recommend hanging up and calling again to see if another agent agrees with how you/we understand the award chart. If that doesn’t work, let us know and we’ll research other options you may have.
The Spirit mileage chart is a joke. The off-peak doesn’t apply based on a monthly time period as show in the chart, but rather whatever day has the lowest possible priced ticket for that run.
2500 point tickets are only Tuesday or Wednesday and it is tough to get a return ticket in a one week window for the 2500 points.
I looked at all flights between Boston and St Johns in the Virgin Islands for a year and not one was even standard.
I called customer service and a supervisor agreed that the chart reads as we understand it, but in reality it doesn’t come close.
A spirit mastercard is the worst points card to have in your wallet.
I am trying to book a round ticket to Region 2 from 5/23 to 5/26 which is standard travel season as per their chart and they are charging 27,500 one way instead of 12,500 plus taxes. I called a couple of times but the agents are helpless. Looks like Spirit Mileage program is a big scam.
Thanks
Hey Gundlapally,
We are sorry to hear about this. Unfortunately, airlines can ultimately dictate and control what they charge for award flights. The best advice we can give is to try to plan as far in advance as you reasonably can, due to the fact that airlines can make tickets more expensive if booked close to departure. Thanks for reading.
I have been redeeming off-peak reward flights on Spirit for 5 years. I usually do so in the November or December off-peak windows. In years past, there have been almost daily flights available to my Region 1 destinations during the off-peak times. This year, as I check online for Sept-Dec 2019, there are BARELY ANY off-peak reward flights offered (like 2 per month, instead of almost daily)! Spirit has drastically changed their off-peak offerings this year.
I’ve chatted with them online, and their responses are very unhelpful.
Has anyone else noticed this?
Hi Anthony,
What sort of response did Spirit give you as to why you’re finding less off-peak reward flights? Have you seen any additional off-peak space released recently, or does it still seem limited?
Anthony, your observation is spot on. Even looking six and seven months out, the OFF PEAK awards for which only BofA Spirit Mastercard holders are eligible, appear restricted to at most one or twos day per week (usually a Tuesday or a Wednesday. For instance, 2500 miles outbound, and 37500 for a return three days later! This is not a first come first served availability issue, but a cleverly planned strategy by Spirit to bait and switch, as I checked daily when new scheduled opened. I end up buying the return tickets for cash as often the government taxes plus the $15 or more ticketing fees render awards tickets just a few dollars less (and occasionally more) than actual ticket purchase price. And as for the distant destinations (like Lima) so often “hawked” onboard by FAs promoting the Spirit Mastercard – try non-existent. Note they skip right over a mileage-based 10,000 level right to 12,500 OFF-PEAK miles. But don’t be too annoyed because from the very hour new schedules are released, the lowest price award seats DURING OFF-PEAK periods until the end of the schedule are 40,000 miles each way! For twenty buck more you can fly Jet Blue and not pay for a glass of water!
In short, if you don’t already have one, don’t screw up your credit score for their worthless credit card. As for using the miles, the actual airfares on any given date are almost as competitive as using Free Spirit miles the few days they are available. This program is total junk! 125,000 miles here and have been able to use miles only twice in past seven years!
Nice to see the comments here. I am a Spirit Mastercard holder. I got roped into applying for the card same as everyone else with the promise of 15000 points which can be redeemed for 3 round trip tickets nearly free of charge. Plus you get 2500 point certificate if you apply right on the plane. Needless to say, I quickly realized how difficult (nearly impossible) it is to actually get nearly free 3 round trip tickets out of 15000 points. You have to book Off peak in Region 1 more than 180 days ahead of time to get the maximum benefit. You need to be a patient little penny pinching mathematical organized wizard to be able to do this preferably without school age kids (because Off Peak fares do not intersect with school holidays). Plus you need super vision to be able to read their pdf chart to figure out what places are Region 1 on their chart. So I did all of this and ended up with 2 round trip ticket (plus lap child) from Tampa to Puerto Rico for 10,000 miles (2500 x 2 people x 2 for round trip) plus $20 in fees and $80 in bag fees ($20 per check in bag x 2 bags x 2 for round trip). This was an amazing thing and the great trip happened back in January 2013. Since then I have accumulated 10’s of thousands of miles but recent attempts to replicate the above trip have been unsuccessful because 1) the schedule is often not there more than 180 days in advance 2) the days where 2,500 mile one way trips are offered even in the Off-peak period way ahead of time are very limited and its nearly impossible to get a good round trip ticket where both legs are 2,500 miles 3) on a smaller note the bag fees have gone up and the cheapest bags are available only at booking not later after you are closer to the trip 4) the fees are inconsistent so you may pay higher fees on some days without any explanation. Talking to spirit about this or e-mailing them is useless. Spirit phone operators (if you can get one on the line) are generally clueless about things such as redeeming miles. Basically, what you see is what you get from their point of view. You can e-mail Spirit and get with more knowledgeable people who will tell you that their miles offerings are based on demand even though you know this is not true because you are looking more than 6 months out and you can see that the patterns of where the 2,500 mile offerings are on unfavorable days and never when people generally want to travel. The people who are setting the mileage and fares are behind the scenes. They know the answer to all the inconsistencies present in pricing but you will never be able to speak to them. A class action lawsuit may also bring this scam to light or a complaint to the FTC for false advertising, but these are difficult time consuming road to go down. So for me the best case would be to drain my miles and cancel my Spirit MC and $9 fare club membership. However, this is easier said than done due to all of the booking issues I pointed out above.
Hi Naz,
Keep in mind that we aren’t Spirit Airlines, so we can’t vouch for them at all. Remember that Spirit Airlines controls the terms and conditions of their award travel. Thanks for sharing your experience.
That photo that you posted of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix. Yeah, that’s not Camelback Mountain!
Hi MZ,
We’ve got that corrected now. Thanks for letting us know!
Other than using points to fly Spirit, can you use points for other things like gift cards, etc? Thanks!
Hey Dan,
Unfortunately, the only other redemption option is magazine subscriptions. We highly recommend sticking to flight redemptions as this will give you the most value.
Thanks for reading!
Andrew
Hi, is there another phone number besides 801-401-2222 because it is BUSY all the time.