We’ve all been there: scrolling for flights and you spot a deal from a budget airline like Spirit or Frontier that makes you do a double-take. The price is so low you start mentally spending the money you’ve saved on beachfront cocktails.
But is it really a deal? The final cost often comes down to one confusing and expensive factor: your bags. Before you book, use our new calculator below to see the real price and find out if a discount airline will actually save you money for your specific trip.
The ‘Hidden Fee’ Calculator
@import url(‘https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Poppins:wght@400;600;700&display=swap’);
.true-cost-container {
font-family: ‘Poppins’, sans-serif;
background-color: #ffffff;
border: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
border-radius: 16px;
margin: 30px auto;
padding: 30px;
max-width: 550px;
box-shadow: 0 10px 30px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07);
text-align: center;
}
.base-fare-display {
margin-bottom: 25px;
}
.base-fare-display p {
font-size: 1.1rem;
color: #4b5563;
margin: 0;
}
.base-fare-display .price {
font-size: 3rem;
font-weight: 700;
color: #1f2937;
line-height: 1.1;
}
.options-list {
list-style: none;
padding: 0;
margin: 0;
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
gap: 15px;
}
.option-item {
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
align-items: center;
background-color: #f9fafb;
padding: 15px;
border-radius: 10px;
border: 1px solid #f3f4f6;
}
.option-item label {
font-weight: 600;
color: #374151;
font-size: 1.05rem;
padding-right: 10px; /* Add some space between text and switch */
}
/* Custom Toggle Switch Styles */
.switch {
position: relative;
display: inline-block;
width: 50px;
height: 28px;
flex-shrink: 0; /* Prevent the switch from shrinking */
}
.switch input {
opacity: 0;
width: 0;
height: 0;
}
.slider {
position: absolute;
cursor: pointer;
top: 0;
left: 0;
right: 0;
bottom: 0;
background-color: #ccc;
transition: .4s;
border-radius: 28px;
}
.slider:before {
position: absolute;
content: “”;
height: 20px;
width: 20px;
left: 4px;
bottom: 4px;
background-color: white;
transition: .4s;
border-radius: 50%;
}
input:checked + .slider {
background-color: #59367F;
}
input:checked + .slider:before {
transform: translateX(22px);
}
.reveal-button {
background-color: #59367F;
color: white;
border: none;
padding: 16px;
font-size: 1.2rem;
font-weight: 700;
border-radius: 10px;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background-color 0.2s ease, transform 0.2s ease;
margin-top: 25px;
width: 100%;
}
.reveal-button:hover {
background-color: #4A2B6A;
transform: scale(1.02);
}
.true-cost-result {
margin-top: 25px;
padding: 25px;
border-radius: 12px;
font-size: 1.2rem;
font-weight: 600;
line-height: 1.4;
display: none; /* Hidden by default */
border: 2px solid;
}
.true-cost-result.show {
display: block;
animation: fadeIn 0.5s ease-in-out;
}
.true-cost-result {
background-color: #fefce8; /* Yellow for reveal */
color: #854d0e;
border-color: #facc15;
}
.true-cost-result .result-label {
display: block;
font-size: 1.1rem;
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 5px;
}
.true-cost-result .final-price {
display: block;
font-weight: 700;
font-size: 2.5rem;
}
.powered-by-top {
text-align: right;
margin-top: 20px;
font-size: 0.8rem;
color: #9ca3af; /* A light grey */
}
.powered-by-top a {
color: #6b7280; /* A slightly darker grey for the link */
text-decoration: none;
font-weight: 600;
}
.powered-by-top a:hover {
text-decoration: underline;
}
@keyframes fadeIn {
from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(10px); }
to { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }
}
/* ADDED: Media Query for Mobile Responsiveness */
@media (max-width: 420px) {
.option-item label {
font-size: 0.9rem; /* Smaller font on narrow screens */
}
.true-cost-result .final-price {
font-size: 2.1rem; /* Adjust result font size */
}
}
Average Discount Base Fare
TRUE COST REVEAL…
// FIXED: Removed the DOMContentLoaded wrapper to make the script more robust
// against potential conflicts with other scripts or WordPress plugins.
const container = document.querySelector(‘.true-cost-container’);
if (container) {
const revealBtn = container.querySelector(‘#revealBtn’);
const resultBox = container.querySelector(‘#resultBox’);
// Based on 2025 pricing models for major US discount carriers.
const BASE_FARE = 39.00;
const CARRY_ON_FEE = 65.00;
const CHECKED_BAG_FEE = 55.00;
const SEAT_SELECTION_FEE = 25.00;
const FLEXIBILITY_FEE = 75.00; // Represents “the works” bundle for changes/refunds
const PRINTING_FEE = 25.00; // Fee for printing boarding pass at the airport
revealBtn.addEventListener(‘click’, function() {
let totalCost = BASE_FARE;
if (container.querySelector(‘#carryOn’).checked) {
totalCost += CARRY_ON_FEE;
}
if (container.querySelector(‘#checkedBag’).checked) {
totalCost += CHECKED_BAG_FEE;
}
if (container.querySelector(‘#seatSelection’).checked) {
totalCost += SEAT_SELECTION_FEE;
}
if (container.querySelector(‘#flexibility’).checked) {
totalCost += FLEXIBILITY_FEE;
}
if (container.querySelector(‘#printPass’).checked) {
totalCost += PRINTING_FEE;
}
// Display the result
resultBox.innerHTML = `
Your ‘Discount’ Flight Actually Costs:
$${totalCost.toFixed(2)}
`;
resultBox.classList.add(‘show’);
});
}
And there you have it. That rock-bottom fare doesn’t look so cheap anymore once you add a bag, a seat selection, and the option to actually change your ticket. This is the hidden math of budget airlines. Now that you’ve seen the true cost, you can decide for yourself if that ‘deal’ is actually a deal at all.
Smart tools like this are just one of the ways we help you travel better. To get the most out of your next trip, check out our full suite of resources below:
The Travel Off Path Advantage: Your Travel Toolkit
/* Scoped Styles for the Promo Box to prevent theme conflicts */
.top-promo-wrapper {
font-family: ‘Poppins’, sans-serif;
max-width: 896px;
margin: 2rem auto;
background-color: #ffffff;
padding: 1.5rem;
border-radius: 1rem;
box-shadow: 0 10px 15px -3px rgba(0,0,0,0.1), 0 4px 6px -2px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
border: 1px solid #e5e7eb;
}
.top-promo-grid {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(1, minmax(0, 1fr));
gap: 1.5rem;
}
.top-promo-card {
display: block;
padding: 1.5rem;
border-radius: 0.75rem;
text-align: center;
border-width: 1px;
transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out, box-shadow 0.2s ease-in-out;
}
.top-promo-card:hover {
transform: translateY(-5px);
box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}
.top-promo-card .icon-container {
display: flex;
justify-content: center;
margin-bottom: 0.75rem;
}
.top-promo-card .icon-circle {
width: 3rem;
height: 3rem;
border-radius: 9999px;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
}
.top-promo-card .icon-svg {
width: 1.5rem;
height: 1.5rem;
color: #ffffff;
}
.top-promo-card .icon-svg-fb {
width: 1.75rem;
height: 1.75rem;
color: #ffffff;
}
.top-promo-card h3 {
font-size: 1.25rem;
line-height: 1.75rem;
font-weight: 700;
margin-top: 0; /* Theme override */
margin-bottom: 0; /* Theme override */
}
.top-promo-card p {
font-size: 0.875rem;
line-height: 1.25rem;
margin-top: 0.5rem;
color: #4b5563;
}
/* Specific colors */
.top-promo-card.purple { background-color: #faf5ff; border-color: #e9d5ff; }
.top-promo-card.purple:hover { border-color: #c084fc; }
.top-promo-card.purple .icon-circle { background-color: #7e22ce; }
.top-promo-card.purple h3 { color: #5b21b6; }
.top-promo-card.blue { background-color: #eff6ff; border-color: #bfdbfe; }
.top-promo-card.blue:hover { border-color: #60a5fa; }
.top-promo-card.blue .icon-circle { background-color: #2563eb; }
.top-promo-card.blue h3 { color: #1e40af; }
/* Responsive grid for larger screens */
@media (min-width: 768px) {
.top-promo-grid {
grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr));
}
.top-promo-wrapper {
padding: 2rem;
}
}
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Appeared first on: traveloffpath.com
