No frills: Spirit Airlines is the future of flight

The New York Timestakes a detailed look at Spirit Airlines, the ultra-low cost airline that is reporting solid results and picking up market share by offering better deals than the major airlines.

How do they do it? They charge extra for every little thing: checked bags, water, nuts, picking your own seat, etc. The company recently said that it would begin charging customers an additional fee for buying tickets. I was a little skeptical myself so I decided to fly Spirit Airlines a couple weeks ago, traveling from Boston to Fort Lauderdale. The result? I'm a convert.

I saved at least $150 over what other airlines were charging at the late date I picked my flight, and if I wanted to maximize my savings, I could have packed all my clothing into one carry-on, ordered no food on the plane, and sat wherever they wanted me to sit.