www.CostaRicaTicas.com

It seems like they usually pick inconvenient dates to make both legs at $9 but this time they have some decent dates. The deal ends 11:59pm on January 16th.

Best FLL to SJO dates: 3/9, 3/19, 3/21, 3/22

SJO to FLL dates: 3/18, 3/22, 3/25, 3/27, 3/28

I booked 3/21-3/25 at $9 each way plus $62 taxes and fees for $80 total.

You can usually get a free 60 day trial into the $9 fare club, or a free membership by getting one of their credit cards (which they sometimes deduct another $30 off your ticket the first time you apply).

Nice job Skink. I fly Spirit all the time, love the $9 fare club. I have almost 20,000 miles since June.

But don't forget to tell them about the seat charges! I DEFINITELY pay a little bit extra for the seats, aisle seat or the bulkhead seats. If you do not select, YOU WILL get the middle seat. If you are a bigger guy like me, I'd rather walk to SJ than sit in the middle. Also, stay away from the row right behind the bulkhead row...the seats are wicked close to the row in front...very uncomfortable.

Plus the added bonus of seat purchase prior, they are far less likely to sell your seat if you are late...or stuck in the International line at FLL (which has happened before).

Yeah Spirit will try to nickle and dime you for everything. If you want to preselect a seat it is $7 for middle, $12 for aisle or window, and $20 for any exit row seat. My last flight I prebooked an exit row seat and the guy next to me flies to CR once a month and said he just shows up to the airport early and asks the ticket counter for an exit row seat (for free). I'll test that method tomorrow.

They also charge a lot for checking baggage, but I just bring a 22" carry on suitcase and a laptop bag.

I just checked availability for a friend and if you don't want to bother with the $9 fare club those dates would be $18 each way.

Yea let me know how that works on the exit row trick. I fly out next Friday!

Tstef527, I read some more on Spirit's website and it said that if you don't pre-book a seat that the ticket counter will randomly assign a seat. For my flight today I have a layover in Ft. Lauderdale from Orlando and Spirit wants to charge a separate seat reservation fee for each leg, and I didn't want to pay extra for such a short connection.

I went through the initial online seat selection process, which shows what seats were still available and wrote down the ones I would want before going to the airport. No one wanted to pay the extra $20 for exit row on my flight so I chatted up the ticket clerk and asked if seat 11C was still available. It was and she got me the same seat for both legs of my flight today for no charge. The exit row also boards in zone 1 so I'm guaranteed to have room in the overhead bin for my carry-on luggage.

You are the man....thanks for the intel. Have a great time

Yes Skink you are so on the money with your analysis. The most convenient I could find is a 2 day trip which is hardly worth it and then if a delay/cancellation on the way down really not worth it.

I have seen some Spirit 9/10 day trips this way though that worked out. Still better than no trip but if I can arrange another 2 days off work would rather spend it down somewhere than at home.