When you’re flying to Mexico from the USA or have to get from one airport to a different inside the nation, there’s one title you’re going to run into repeatedly. Flying on Volaris is one thing you’re most likely going to expertise in the end for the sake of time or comfort, even for those who’re a luxurious traveler. So right here’s our tackle what to anticipate.
Initially, you should know that Volaris is firmly and unapologetically a price range airline. No frills, plenty of additional charges, and no pampering. This isn’t uncommon: there’s just one true full-service airline left standing in Mexico and that’s Aeromexico, which often sends you thru a busy hub. The remaining have raced to the underside, with an analogous expertise as you’ll discover with the likes of Allegiant, Ryanair, or Air Asia. A step up from Spirit and Viva Aerobus, however not a giant step.
The excellent news is, their web site is in each English and Spanish, capable of spit out costs in a number of currencies, and more often than not it does what it’s speculated to do. You simply must reset it again to English for those who do a number of searches from inside Mexico as a result of it’ll preserve reverting again to Spanish and pesos.
The place They Fly
This airline can get you a whole lot of locations, particularly for those who’re an expat residing in Mexico. By most measures they’re the nation’s largest service now, forward of the flagship Aeromexico, and are increasing extra quickly. Sadly, whereas the previous will get you Skymiles factors they usually have codeshares with Delta, Volaris shouldn’t be aligned with anybody besides comply with no-frills airline Frontier.
Assume you will get to most of Mexico with Volaris, however additionally they fly to a whole lot of completely different international locations.
USA: Atlanta, Chicago, DC, Dallas, and lots of California cities, plus codeshares with Frontier.
Canada
Guatemala
El Salvador
Costa Rica
Honduras
Colombia
Peru
Determining these routes shouldn’t be at all times straightforward although as a result of there’s no map and among the combos are a fake-out. Your departure metropolis and vacation spot metropolis can be out there as selections, however then if you attempt to decide a day, no dates can be found in any month.
The Volaris Evolution to Funds Provider
It wasn’t at all times the case that this was a low-frills price range airline, billing themselves as an “extremely low-cost airline.” I first flew on Volaris again in 2011, at a time once they had been making an attempt to woo prospects with extra facilities and higher service. They had been competing arduous with Interjet (now kaput) and on the time they had been each extra prone to shock you to the upside than the draw back. To indicate how far downmarket they’ve gone, right here’s what I wrote again then:
Attendants hand out headphones to make use of to observe TV in Spanish on the seatback screens. Quickly a drink cart got here round with all kinds of non-alcoholic drinks. (It was early within the morning; they could supply beer and cocktails later within the day). My daughter squealed with delight when she noticed the snack they had been giving us: Krispy Kreme doughnuts! There have been some ads on three overhead baggage panels, however all of us ended up with a free can of the marketed iced tea earlier than deplaning, so not a foul trade-off. Additionally they had a basket of taffy sweet to choose from as we walked off the aircraft. Good contact.
Be suggested that none of that’s in place now. Plus the free checked bag and open seat choice we had then are each gone too.
Assume that you just’ll pay additional for something and all the things not included within the base fare when flying on Volaris. Your ticket is mainly only a license to enter the aircraft. They even do a bait-and change with the fares that come up on their web site: these don’t embrace any of the airport taxes, regardless that the taxes are obligatory and it’s a must to pay them it doesn’t matter what. Volaris is simply sneaky they usually add them to your fare as you progress by way of the reserving course of. So your possibilities of paying the primary worth you see are zero.
Volaris Baggage Charges and a Private Merchandise
There’s one piece of bags you might be allowed to deliver on when flying on Volaris: a private merchandise that can match beneath the seat. The scale for which are a skimpy 35 by 45 by 20 centimeters, so it’s takes some tremendous packing expertise to get away with that. That’s mainly a laptop computer bag with a couple of objects in it.
When you can plan forward, you’ll save a small fortune by choosing a bundle deal that features baggage if you e book your ticket. As an example, right here’s the fare distinction (earlier than obligatory taxes) for a one-way excessive season ticket between Oakland and Los Cabos:
Zero (Base fare solely) – $211
Fundamental – $221 consists of carry-on and restricted flight change
Plus – $263 consists of carry-on, 55-pound checked bag, precedence boarding, absolutely refundable/changeable ticket
So until you’re actually pinching pennies, it’s greatest to go for the highest choice and get the most effective choices for simply $42 extra.
Home flights are inclined to have extra of a worth distinction, nonetheless, with the Mexican vacationers getting socked extra for not packing mild. Right here’s the distinction on a high-season flight between Leon/Guanajuato and Cancun, when the beachgoers should not getting any slack.
Zero (Base fare solely) – $64
Fundamental – $77 consists of carry-on and restricted flight change
Plus – $138 consists of carry-on, 55-pound checked bag, precedence boarding, absolutely refundable/changeable ticket
On this case, you’re primarily paying $51 additional to verify a bag, board sooner, and have extra change choices.
When you’re studying Luxurious Latin America, you’re most likely the sort who will take that deal with out stressing about it until you’re good at packing mild.
You’re nonetheless not carried out paying although. In addition to the taxes they’re going so as to add on, there’s additionally an absence of seating talked about in these bundle inclusions above. So you possibly can be caught in a center seat within the again by the toilet for those who depart it to likelihood.
So if you’d like a terrific seat, you should take one other step to finish that consolation course of…
Flying on Volaris With Extra Consolation
As a result of these price range airways are so coin-operated and don’t even attempt to fake they’re providing a terrific journey expertise, you should buy your self an improve with out spending very a lot. Whereas on legacy U.S. carriers it could value you greater than $100 to get a greater seat, it’s a neater selection on Volaris. You’re going to must pay for a seat choice anyway, even for those who select the highest bundle, so that you would possibly as effectively pay a small premium to get among the finest seats on the aircraft.
There’s no enterprise class on Volaris, after all, however you may pay slightly extra to have a bulkhead seat on the entrance, be one or two rows again to get off sooner, or decide an exit row seat and have extra legroom. When you’re not going to want a lot at your seat, the bulkhead ones are the roomiest and are most likely the most effective wager for households with a toddler, however it’s a must to stow all the things at take-off, so you may’t preserve your laptop computer helpful when you have work to do.
Right here’s an instance of the completely different seat choice costs on a home flight I e book pretty typically: Leon/Guanajuato to Cancun:
Center seat within the final row: $9.34
Aisle seat in the course of the aircraft: $12.99
Exit row seat: $19.49
Bulkhead window: $23.55
In different phrases, the distinction between the worst seat on the aircraft and the most effective one for this 2.5-hour flight is round $14. You’ll achieve a couple of extra inches at the very least over the usual seat pitch of 30 inches.
Right here’s what the seats value on a for much longer worldwide flight, from Leon/Guanajuato to Oakland, California:
Center seat within the final row: $13
Aisle seat in the course of the aircraft: $16.89
Exit row seat: $28.59
Bulkhead window: $39
As you may see, choosing the most effective seat on this 3 hour and 40 minute flight solely prices $26 greater than the worst. So purchase your self some legroom.
Different Volaris Journey Suggestions
As with most price range airways, Volaris goes to provide you a complete lot of nothing to eat and drink. Plus what they do have on supply appears loads like what you’ll discover on the shelf of Oxxo: all the things is processed and stuffed with sugar, with plenty of warning labels on the packaging.
So order a beer or a cocktail if that’s your factor, however in any other case assume you’ll have to deliver a stuffed water bottle on board, deliver your personal espresso if you’d like one thing first rate, and convey your personal meals if Pringles aren’t your concept of a meal.
The airline has switched to a cellular mannequin for leisure by way of the app, however most of what’s on supply is in Spanish or is 10 years outdated at the very least. Or each. I’ve seldom used it and often simply obtain one thing to my pill or learn a e book on my Kindle.
There are often no retailers for charging on these flights, whether or not USB or common. The seats don’t recline (most likely factor because it’s so tight) they usually’re fairly skinny with a view to cram the utmost in.
Be suggested that for those who journey with this airline loads, it’s possible you’ll discover the Volaris Annual Cross to be deal. It’s usually $499 for a yr and for you could journey anyplace on quick discover (3 days for worldwide, 1 day forward for home) with out paying the fare. You continue to must pay all the things else although: taxes, seat choice, change charges, and baggage.
That final one is de facto going to value you too: they make annual go holders pay the walk-up baggage fee as an alternative of the advance reserving fee everybody else will get once they do a flight search. So on some latest flights I took between Mexico, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, they needed a stunning $79 for me to hold my very own small wheeled bag on or a rapacious $90 to verify a bag. I took an underseat bag as an alternative and purchased a brand new outfit on arrival.
I’m nonetheless glad I purchased it although as a result of I obtained it for $349 once they had been working an advance promotion. It has already paid for itself and I’ll use it extra earlier than it expires in six months.
One final tip: make certain you’re flying into the suitable airport in Mexico Metropolis for those who’re headed there. AIFA is additional out and doesn’t have many connections. You need AICM (airport code MEX).
In conclusion, Volaris isn’t going to be probably the most nice flight you’ve ever taken and also you’ve obtained so as to add on a whole lot of extras to get to what everybody receives routinely on a superior airline like Southwest. These are point-to-point flights which are typically sooner although and even with all of the add-ons, it could find yourself costing you much less in the long run than being on a service corresponding to Aeromexico, United, or Air Canada.
See particulars at the official web site.
