AdvertisementPlus, I'm not convinced that Frontier and Spirit's recent addition of "premium" perks will give either a competitive edge. Frontier and Spirit offer 28 inches of pitch, while coach seats on all three mainline carriers start at 30 inches. AdvertisementAmerican Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines recognized the budget competition years ago and created their own version of a cheap ticket: basic economy. ULCCs are not always cheaper once you do the mathIn my experience, mainline tickets are sometimes cheaper than Frontier or Spirit. Spirit has dropped all change and cancel fees, and Frontier is adding business-class-like seats to lure in more premium travelers.

---

Persons: —, I've, I'm, Taylor Rains, mainlines, it's, Scott Kirby, LaGuardia Organizations: Service, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Business, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Mobile, LaGuardia Airport, Delta, Google, United, Spirit Locations: Delta, Orlando