Even experienced visitors may become overwhelmed by the vast, busy Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). I recently had the opportunity to travel with Spirit Airlines LAX Terminal, which is based out of LAX Terminal 5. I went into this journey with low hopes because Spirit is known for being an ultra-low-cost airline, but I was interested to see if the airline's latest claims of "More Go" and an enhanced customer experience stood up in the mayhem of LAX. This is my personal assessment of the whole trip, including arrival formalities, boarding, and in-flight comfort.
Compared to some of the other terminals at LAX, including Terminal 3 or the International Terminal (Tom Bradley), I was relieved to find Terminal 5 to be more orderly and less busy. There is plenty of room for check-in lines and passenger flow in Terminal 5, which is cleaner and more contemporary and is home to airlines such as Spirit and Frontier.
Everything was prominently marked, and Spirit Airlines' counters were situated near the right side of the terminal's entry. Both self-service kiosks and manned counters were available for anybody who needed help. The self-service kiosk was my choice, and it operated without any problems.
I was pleasantly surprised by how easy the check-in and security process went, even though I had mentally braced myself for huge lines and potential problems. Near the kiosks, Spirit employees assisted passengers who appeared uncertain. In addition to being kind, the baggage drop counter agents expedited the line. Wait times for security at Terminal 5 were mediocre; at around 20 minutes in the late afternoon, I thought this was fair by LAX standards.
I went to Gate 54A to board my aircraft. Zone-based boarding is used by Spirit, and notifications were prompt and unambiguous. Despite the usual LAX rush, Spirit's gate agents handled the boarding process with a grin, and the gate space wasn't packed.
I found it admirable that Spirit is open and honest about its policies. To reduce surprises at the gate, passengers were reminded of baggage dimensions and taxes using visual displays and signage. I observed the agents firmly upholding these regulations in a polite and professional manner.
As soon as I stepped onto the A320, I was struck by its "bare-bones" design. The seats had little padding, were slimline, and weren't reclining like those on Spirit Airlines. Although the airline doesn't focus on comfort, I thought the seat was adequate for a three-hour domestic trip.
There were no free snacks or drinks, USB ports, or seat-back displays. As anticipated, I had brought my own snacks and entertainment. As they walked the aisles selling food and beverages and during the pre-departure safety demonstration, Spirit's flight attendants were unexpectedly upbeat and focused. Their cheerful demeanor brought a little coziness to an otherwise straightforward flight.
When we got back to Terminal 5, the deplaning procedure went smoothly. I found Terminal 5's baggage claim area to be user-friendly, and I was able to get my checked luggage in 20 minutes, which felt efficient given LAX's total volume.
Conveniently, ground transit was situated outside the terminal. Shuttle services and rideshare pick-up locations were clearly marked. The inter-terminal shuttle was also available to Spirit passengers disembarking with connecting flights to other terminals, which is useful considering LAX's convoluted terminal architecture.
Overall, I had a better than expected experience flying with Spirit Airlines at LAX Terminal 5. The entire process from check-in to boarding and arrival was easy, well-planned, and comparatively stress-free, which is uncommon for ultra-low-cost airlines, particularly at a major airport like LAX.
Yes, the airline has a simple business strategy with few benefits unless you pay more, but for budget-conscious passengers like me who value affordability over extravagance, Spirit delivers on its promises of timely, reasonably priced travel with no unpleasant surprises if you read the fine print.