Budget airlines vs the big 3: Do discounters really save much?

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We're at the point in the year where many of us are booking fall or winter flights. You can pay extra for a full–service experience, or try to save money with a low-cost or budget carrier.

Indeed, low-cost airlines like Allegiant, Frontier, Southwest and Spirit help make travel affordable for millions. But a low ticket price isn't the only thing to consider when booking. So we wanted to know the advantages — and disadvantages — of choosing a budget airline.

Low fares, but with downsides

College student Eric Anderson loves the last-minute low fares that discount airlines offer. "Sometimes if you are in a rush to get somewhere, the price is great, you hop on a plane and go," he said. But traveler Tayeed Beydoun is not a fan of the extra fees discounters have hit him with. "The price is great," he said, "but you got to pay for all the extra baggage that you take with you." Looking at price alone, Katy Nastro with the company Going said a budget airline is usually going to win. And now some low-cost airlines, like Spirit and Frontier, have eliminated some change or cancellation fees, making them more in line with Delta, United and American. "Having that added flexibility, that's not going to add to your overall cost, is a really big win," she said. MORE: Airline, cruise and hotel upsells could get you to spend a lot more

Things to consider before booking

The obvious downside to a low-cost carrier is fewer perks like wifi, the ability to choose your own seat and free snack and beverage options. You may also have to pay $50 or $60 for a carry-on bag. The big three airlines have an edge during widespread delays or cancellations when they have more flight options and backup planes available. "You're going to find far more options on a bigger legacy carrier than you would if you had taken a budget carrier, which might have only a few flights per day or one flight per day," Nastro said. Of course, there are exceptions, as we saw with Delta's response to a recent software outage. Need to get there today? If you can't risk a delay, you may want to pay extra for a legacy airline. But if the price is most important, traveler Shannon Mesmith recommends discount airlines. "Everything's pretty high," Mesmith said, "so if you can get a discounted budget airline trip, do it!" That way you don't waste your money. MORE: Hotel chains that offer senior discounts up to 20% off

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This article originally appeared on WCPO , Scripps News Cincinnati.