While many folks choose budget airlines to save some serious cash, these cut costs can lead to miserable traveling experiences.

A budget-friendly airline on the surface may seem like a godsend thanks to its lower fares, but those of us who have flown with them know that not everything that glitters is gold. From hidden fees to uncomfortable inconveniences, there are several negatives when it comes to flying with these cheaper airlines.

Before we get into the known issues of flying with so-called budget-friendly airlines, we want to emphasize that it’s CRUCIAL to do your homework and do some math. Most of these issues involve costs, so you can literally add up the sums and compare them to the costs of better-regarded airlines. For other issues, you’ll need to assign costs to how much you value comfort and multiply that by the duration of the flight. For example, how much do you value leg room and entertainment on a 2-hour flight? How much do you value those properties on a 6-hour flight?

Basically, be aware of all your options and don’t just look at the shiny initial numbers. With that said, we found 11 reasons why people are turning away from budget airways in 2025.

Hidden Bag Fees

Hey, so you know that cheap budget airline fare that is the top reason you’re flying with them and not a better competitor? Yeah…that’s not the only price you’ll be paying.

Most of these cheaper airlines have hidden fees — including bag fees. You might get charged not only for checked bags, but carry-ons, as well. It’s important to check the airline’s bag policy before you book, as these fees could negate the savings you thought you were getting.

Boarding Pass Fees

If you’re old-school, this next fee will really tick you off.

Some ultra-low-cost airlines like Spirit and Allegiant actually charge you to print out a boarding pass at the airport. Once again, these airlines will find small ways to make a few extra bucks while inconveniencing you.

Seat Selection Fees

While seat selection fees are not exclusive to budget airlines, they aren’t always factored in when selecting the airline.

If you want to select your seat, be prepared to pay extra. Otherwise, be ready to be seated somewhere random. If you’re traveling with a group of people, this can be extra problematic.

Hidden Booking Fees

Hidden fees are truly the worst, and it’s hard to find dumber flight costs than hidden booking fees.

Some airlines like Breeze Airways and Frontier actually have an extra charge for booking a flight online instead of at the airport counter. If this isn’t nickel and diming, we don’t know what is.

Lackluster Legroom

Alright, so you incurred the costs and are at peace with them. Next, you’re on the flight and a new problem pops up — there’s not a ton of legroom.

Budget airlines often prioritize capacity over comfort, so it’s likely you’ll feel cramped. While some airlines like Spirit are working on legroom upgrades, you’ll no doubt be charged extra to experience these perks.

Lack of In-Flight Entertainment

If you’re used to in-flight movies or watching media on your phone on an airline like Southwest, you’ll have to be ready to be without that luxury when flying a budget airline.

If you plan on streaming video or music, don’t bank on that either, as most of these planes don’t offer WiFi. We recommend downloading media BEFORE you board your plane so that you can watch directly from your device without needing any help from the airline. Fortunately, many streaming services offer downloading options that absolutely help with long trips.

Lack Of Complimentary Food

While longer flights may offer complimentary snacks and beverages, you’d be hard-pressed to find shorter flights offering the expected complimentary service you’d find on one of the bigger airlines.

To get snacks or beverages, you may need to buy premium fare or buy items separately. Many of these airlines have food and drinks onboard, but it’ll cost ya.

Flight Delays and Cancellation Issues

If you’re paying less to fly, but you’re not flying on time, is it really worth it if you hold the principle “time is money” to be true?

Research has been conducted, and it has been confirmed that budget airlines like Frontier and Allegiant have some real delay issues. They also struggle with cancellations, as does Spirit. Part of paying more for higher-tier airlines includes better reliability, generally.

Inflexible Ticketing

While many airlines will either refund your airfare with credits or actual cash, you’re more likely to deal with a ticketing headache with budget airlines.

Get ready for wild cancellation fees, problems due to overbooking, and annoying refund policies and procedures.

Poor Customer Service

Budget airlines are trying to maximize profits, which means they might not have easily accessible customer service.

Spirit, for example, has cut back on its workforce AND its customer service hours, making it harder to get in touch with an actual human being in a timely manner. Dealing with any type of customer service is never ideal, but it’s even less so with limited budget airlines.

Limited Airports and Flight Times

The reality of budget airlines is that they are a dying breed. We’ll likely only see them continue to offer fewer services around eligible airports.

Most of these airlines are bleeding money, which means they’ll start (and already have) cutting routes and limiting how many flights depart each day. That means you may not have the most optimal flight choices at your nearest airport and may need to go to a different airport to get your preferred flight.

We are professional travelers, and while we find value in budget airlines, we’ve also experienced some or most of these issues. We also keep a pulse on the air travel industry and can keep you up to date on the latest travel developments, so keep it posted right here at DFB to stay in the know.

The Hidden Fee People HATE Paying on Spirit Airlines

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