Americans love a bargain when they fly.

But recent changes at some airlines suggest that ultra-cheap flights are losing their appeal.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that low-cost carrier JetBlue Airways will roll out first class seating on domestic flights in 2026. It follows a similar announcement from another budget carrier, Frontier Airlines, which plans to debut premium seating next year.

The upscaling comes as no-frills airlines face headwinds: Industry leader Spirit has reportedly lost more than $2.5 billion since 2020, and the company filed for bankruptcy protection last month. JetBlue, while popular, has struggled to turn a profit since 2019. So some carriers are setting their sights on customers willing to pay more, says Kyle Potter, executive editor of aviation website Thrifty Traveler.

“They’re trying to have it both ways,” Potter says.

The journalist spoke with host A Martinez on NPR’s Morning Edition about what the shift says about Americans’ travel preferences – and the future of flying on the cheap.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Interview highlights

A Martinez: Why are airlines known for low fares suddenly embracing pricey add-ons?

Kyle Potter: In short, because they need to. Budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit are really struggling to make ends meet right now, so they’re trying to have it both ways. They want to be a budget airline that will sell you a ticket across the country for $19, but they also want to sell you a first class seat with more space and maybe some additional amenities.

It really is part of this longer transformation that we’ve been seeing across the airline industry over the last couple of years. Of every airline, even the premium airlines are getting more premium. And now the budget airlines are getting a little bit more full service.

Martinez: Who wants to buy a first class seat on a budget airline?

Potter: It’s going to be a tough sell, and that’s the rub for airlines like Frontier and Spirit. They have spent the better part of the last decade or more earning a reputation of basically punishing travelers with next to no legroom, slim seats with very little padding, and no extras. You pay more for everything. And now they’re going to try and upsell people on these first class fares. It is not going to happen overnight — not after Spirit, in particular, has been the punchline on late night talk shows for years about how awful it can be to fly these kinds of airlines.

Martinez: What does Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy filing tell us about challenges low-cost airlines are facing?

Potter: First and foremost, their costs are just a lot higher. Coming out of the worst of the pandemic, pilot labor groups negotiated new, more expensive contracts. These budget airlines really rely on low costs. And when those costs get higher, they need to make more money. Also, as more Americans are traveling in record numbers and more are willing to spend more for a premium experience, or at least a bigger seat, the Spirits and Frontiers of the world do not have a product to meet that demand.

Martinez: What options remain for people hunting for bargain fares?

Potter: While the broader industry is skewing more towards premium travel, there’s still always going to be a place for cheaper fares. Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant, newer carriers like Breeze and Avelo – they’re still going to be selling them. And full-service legacy carriers like American, Delta, and United are still selling cheap tickets – they call them “basic economy” fares. If budget is your No. 1 concern, there still are going to be products out there. I just think everything is going to skew a little bit more towards premium as we get into 2025 and beyond.

The audio version of this story was produced by Julie Depenbrock and the digital version was edited by Obed Manuel.

Transcript:

A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:

If you have ever flown on an ultra-inexpensive airline, you know that it’s not the most comfortable. You get minimal legroom, lots of fees and no free meal. Now some low-cost airlines are going upscale. Yesterday, JetBlue announced it’ll add first-class seats, starting in 2026. And Frontier plans to do the same, beginning next year. Even Southwest Airlines is preparing to abandon its signature open-seating model and add premium seats with extra legroom. Kyle Potter is the executive editor of the Thrifty Traveler, a website that covers flight deals and aviation news. I asked him why airlines known for cheap seats are adjusting their business models.

KYLE POTTER: In short, because they need to. Budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit are really struggling to make ends meet right now. And so I think what we’re seeing is they’re trying to have it both ways. Yes, they want to be a budget airline that will sell you a ticket, you know, across the country for $19. But they also want to sell you a first-class seat with more space, maybe some additional amenities. It really is part of this longer transformation that we’ve been seeing across the airline industry over the last couple of years of every airline. Even the premium airlines are getting more premium, and now the budget airlines are getting a little bit more full-service.

MARTÍNEZ: So an economy first-class seat. That doesn’t (laughter) sound like it makes a lot of sense, Kyle.

POTTER: It’s going to be a tough sell, and that’s the rub here for airlines like both Frontier and Spirit. You know, they have spent the better part of the last decade or more earning a reputation of, you know, basically punishing travelers with next to no legroom, slim seats with very little padding. And now, all of a sudden, they’re going to try and upsell people on these first-class fares. It is not going to happen overnight. Not after, you know, Spirit in particular has been the punch line on late-night talk shows for years and years about just how awful it can be to fly these kinds of airlines.

MARTÍNEZ: Last month, Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy. Tell us more about some of the problems these budget airlines are facing right now.

POTTER: There’s a couple of problems that are all working against them. You know, first and foremost, their costs are just a lot higher. So coming out of the worst of the pandemic, basically, every airline in the country – their pilot labor groups negotiated new, more expensive contracts. These budget airlines really, really rely on low costs. And when those costs get higher, that means they need to make more money.

MARTÍNEZ: So what options are still out there for people looking for ultra-cheap fares? Is that always going to still be an option, no matter what?

POTTER: I think it is. While definitely the broader industry trend across, you know, every airline is skewing more towards premium travel, there’s still always going to be a place for cheaper fares. So, you know, the Spirits and Frontiers of the world and others like them, like Allegiant, newer carriers like Breeze and Avelo – they’re still going to be selling cheap fares. And also, you know, the full-service legacy carriers like American, Delta, United – they still are selling the cheapest – they call them basic economy fares, so it’s the cheapest ticket you can buy. You don’t get extras like being able to pick your seat. You might get assigned a middle seat. In some cases, you might not even be able to bring a carry-on bag, just a backpack to put under the seat in front of you. But if budget is your number one concern, there still are going to be products out there. I just think everything is going to skew a little bit more towards premium as we get into 2025 and beyond.

MARTÍNEZ: Kyle Potter is executive editor of the Thrifty Traveler, a website that tracks flight deals and the aviation industry. Kyle, thanks.

POTTER: Thanks for having me.

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