Global Entry isn't the only way international travelers can skip long lines at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
13.06.2024 - 21:55 / insider.com
Since I got the travel bug in college, I've spent a lot of time on US airlines — but mostly on ultra-low-cost carriers, or ULCCs, like Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines
I always loved the thrill of scoring a cheap ticket, and my younger self was perfectly OK with the no-frills cabin and stuffing everything into a personal item.
Sacrificing comfort and onboard freebies to save a buck was worth it then, and the ULCCs were banking on travelers like me to stay loyal to the business model.
However, flexibility and convenience have become more important to me in recent years, and this is where the ULCCs have slipped while mainline carriers have improved.
Plus, I'm not convinced that Frontier and Spirit's recent addition of "premium" perks will give either a competitive edge.
I know when I book a ULCC that I am committing to at least a few hours of sitting in a cramped, bare-bones plane, where even a cup of water costs money.
Most seats don't recline, have headrests, or have televisions. Only Spirit offers WiFi — and for a fee.
These cabins can be bearable on shorter flights when the fare is a really good deal. But why settle when mainlines combine the best of both worlds?
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines recognized the budget competition years ago and created their own version of a cheap ticket: basic economy. The goal was to lure in price-conscious travelers like me with discounted but still amenity-heavy tickets.
These stripped-down fares have limitations. United doesn't allow a carry-on bag while American and Delta do, for example. Still, all three come with the regular mainline cabin perks, like reclining seats, in-flight entertainment, headrests, free snacks and drinks, and standard legroom.
Further, domestic WiFi is free on all three for eligible T-Mobile customers like me, while Delta and American have their respective free internet packages — even for basic economy ticketholders.
In my experience, mainline tickets are sometimes cheaper than Frontier or Spirit.
For example, the base fare for a roundtrip evening flight from LaGuardia Airport to Orlando in mid-August costs $211 on Spirit and $277 on Delta.
Once you factor in the $50 fee for a carry-on bag on Spirit — which applies in both directions — the total price is $311. Reserving a specific seat would be another $30 at least, with the cheapest seats being $15 per leg.
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Delta's basic economy already includes a carry-on and a standard seat with WiFi, power, and entertainment. However, it doesn't offer seat selection, even if you want to pay extra. And, unlike Spirit's new policy, Delta charges change and cancel fees for its cheapest tickets.
Despite the pros and cons, it's still an easy choice.
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Global Entry isn't the only way international travelers can skip long lines at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
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