I flew in Spirit's 'Big Front Seat,' the airline's fanciest and most expensive product, and I don't think it's worth the upgrade

Low-cost giant Spirit Airlines is not known for fancy planes or luxurious seats.

Nicknamed the "school bus of the sky," the carrier has been unapologetic in its bare-bones cabin and a-la-carte business model, which requires travelers to pay extra for things like carry-on bags and snacks.

One buyable upgrade is Spirit's "Big Front Seat,” which is the carrier's premium-like offering that is located at the front of the plane. The large lounger most closely resembles a business class seat on a mainline carrier, minus all the bells and whistles.

I flew on Spirit's Big Front Seat on a flight from Oakland, California, to Las Vegas, and don't think it is worth the upgrade, even on shorter flights.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I arrived at Oakland International Airport, which is about 30 minutes from San Francisco, at around 9:00 p.m. for my 10:10 p.m. departure.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I checked in on the mobile app but was also able to get a boarding pass from a kiosk. The system was free to use, though travelers may have to pay a fee to get a boarding pass from the counter.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I made my way through security, which only took about five minutes, and headed to gate 9A for boarding.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I was assigned boarding zone 2. The boarding priority comes after families, disabled passengers, active military personnel, and travelers who purchased a carry-on bag.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Zone 2 is typically reserved for those who purchased priority boarding, those with status on Spirit, and Spirit credit card holders, so I'm not sure if travelers with the Big Front Seat will always get the higher priority.

Spirit Airlines

My seat was 1F, which was the window seat behind the right bulkhead in the front row.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I paid $35 for the seat on top of my $30 fare, so the entire one-way trip cost $65. The seat cost $35 because I was on a shorter route, but longer routes could see prices up to $100 or more.

The giant lounger, which was bigger than I expected, does not come with any extra amenities like a carry-on or complimentary drinks and snacks, so I only brought a personal item to save money.

Taylor Rains/Inisder

However, because I was in the front row, I had to put my backpack in the overhead bin. This was a little inconvenient, but the flight attendant got it down for me so I could use my laptop during the flight.

Taylor Rains/Insider

After boarding, I settled into my seat and waited for everyone else to board. It was nice being one of the first people on the plane, and I had plenty of space to stretch out.

Taylor Rains/Insider

My first impression of the seat was good. There were a total of eight Big Front Seats in a 2x2 configuration, and they were all plush with a big headrest.

Taylor Rains/Insider

The loungers also featured a padded seatbelt…

Taylor Rains/Insider

…36 inches of pitch and 18.5 inches of width…

Taylor Rains/Insider

…a large center armrest…

Taylor Rains/Insider

…a seatback pocket big enough to hold my water bottle…

Taylor Rains/Insider

…a medium-sized tray table that folded out from the armrest…

Taylor Rains/Insider

…and shelf space.

Taylor Rains/Insider

While the seat was large, it did lack a lot of amenities that I wish were available, like power ports, recline, a leg or footrest, and more storage space.

There was no nook to stow a book or water bottle, other than the seatback pocket, and the seat came "pre-reclined" so I couldn't adjust it.

Moreover, the headrest was stationary and cannot be folded in as a neck rest, which I found extremely disappointing. This feature is common on other carriers, like Breeze Airways and American Airlines.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Despite the lacking extras, I was initially impressed with the Big Front Seat, but that changed after takeoff.

Taylor Rains/Insider

About halfway through the flight, the placement of the headrest made sitting in the seat simply uncomfortable. For me, it sat too far forward. I could not tilt my neck back as much as I wanted, which caused my back to hurt.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I ended up leaning against the fuselage to rest, which was a little better, but not much.

Taylor Rains/Insider

However, there were a few things about the lounger that I did like. Being in the front row I had easy access to the lavatory.

Taylor Rains/Insider

And, because there was so much space behind the bulkhead, I could walk right past the aisle passenger without making them get up.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Moreover, I like to sit criss-cross whenever I can, and the seat was wide enough for me to do so, which was a nice surprise. I was also one of the first people off the plane.

Taylor Rains/Insider

Despite some pros, I think the Big Front Seat is not worth the money overall, even on shorter flights. The way the headrest is placed made my head sit more forward than is comfortable for me.

Taylor Rains/Insider

If the seat reclined more, or if the wings of the headrest folded in, then it would be perfectly fine, but there was no way to adjust anything.

If Spirit changes its loungers in the future, I hope it adds an adjustable headrest. I think that is the dealbreaker for me, and I probably won't book the Big Front Seat again until that is upgraded.

While I was mostly unhappy with the seat, I will give credit to Spirit for adding WiFi to its planes. There were two options: regular browsing and media streaming, for $3.99 and $6.99, respectively.

Taylor Rains/Insider

I bought the browsing option, which was fast and reliable. I liked that I can finally text and work from a Spirit flight.

Taylor Rains/Insider