Last week, I traveled to and fro Chicago via Spirit Airlines.

Now, I know what you’re thinking… Spirit is considered one of the worst airlines in America for a myriad of reasons: horrible customer service, zero in-flight entertainment, and the kicker, hidden fees. Yes, they will charge you for carry-ons, checked bags, food & drink, seat assignments, AND for printing out your boarding pass at the airport.

It’s no secret that Spirit is the butt of the joke in the airline community. Their reputation is so bad, a Shade Room commenter once called them the “real life Soul Plane.”

However, I stand before you all to make a shocking public declaration…

I love Spirit!

Okay, hear me out. After flying with them for a couple of trips, I have seen past the bad PR, and have embraced the company for what it is: an affordable carrier that is absolutely wonderful for short getaways. Spirit is FAR from perfect, but I do believe it gets shit on unfairly.

Here are 5 reasons why Spirit is actually the best airline in the country:

1. They’re Cheap!

This is a no-brainer. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, fly Spirit! My trip from Los Angeles to Chicago was only $200 — $100 less than other airlines. In fact, I know people who have flown for WAY cheaper, for flights that cover roughly the same distance. No joke, my friend from Florida flew Spirit to Chicago, and another time to Costa Rica, and paid around $100 roundtrip both times.

2. You Can (Literally) Stretch What A “Personal Item” Is

As I mentioned before, they WILL charge for carry-ons and checked bags, and that shit ain’t cheap. However, you are allowed to bring one “personal item” that (they say) fits entirely into a 18″ x 14″ x 8″ size box.

However, this is where you can get sneaky…

Every time I have flown Spirit, I always bring my Herschel Novel duffle (as seen below in black, though mine is navy):

In my bag, I can comfortably fit 2 pairs of pants, 2 dress shirts, a couple of tees, socks (athletic and dress), my favorite boxer briefs, sandals, and another pair of shoes.

Without fail, I have never been stopped, or harassed for bringing my duffle as a “personal item.” This is how I’m able to avoid extra fees, while still bringing enough clothes for my trip. Whatever you do, PLEASE do not bring a bullshit purse or backpack. That’s just a fucking waste.

I would, however, NOT recommend you bring luggage with a hard shell. Because of its size and lack of malleability, the airline employees might stop you at the gate (I’ve seen it happen).

Either way, when you board, smile and be cute! You might get away with it.

3. Paying For Food Is Actually A Good Thing!

No disrespect to airline employees, but it (reasonably) takes them some time to serve customers complimentary food and beverage. As we’ve established, nothing on Spirit is complimentary, so if you get hungry or thirsty, you must loosen up your purse strings and pay up.

However, this isn’t entirely a bad thing.

Because food and drink cost money, no one buys it… meaning if you do, it comes super quick! On my flight back to Los Angeles, I bought a bag of Chex Mix, and didn’t have to wait a million years for it.

4. Do You Really Need To Watch More TV?

One of my favorite things about flying Delta is that each seat comes with a TV, and I can catch up on The Real Housewives. With Spirit, you get to watch the back of the chair in front of you, as you wait in agony to get to your destination.

However, Spirit’s lack of in-flight entertainment doesn’t have to be such a drag. Because I knew what I was getting myself into, I went to Barnes & Noble before my trip and bought How To Stop Feeling Like Shit, a deliciously sassy, to-the-point self-help book written by life coach Andrea Owen.

If you’re not much of a reader, listen to Ariana Grande’s new album in its entirety. Or meditate. Or talk to your neighbor. Or use this time to reflect on your poor life decisions. I don’t know, and I don’t care. However long your flight it, take advantage of these precious moments!

5. Flying Spirit Will Give You Spirit

Flying on “America’s worst airline” can either break you… or make you.

I’ll never forget it. On my Uber ride to LAX, I passed by United, Delta, and American Airlines, the so-called “better” carriers. Then, I approached Terminal 5 where Spirit Airlines is located. I felt like a proud parent picking up their child from school. S/he might not be the smartest, funniest, or most attractive kid on the playground… but s/he was mine, and I loved him/her unconditionally.

On my flight to Chicago, I felt this weird sense of camaraderie among all my Spirit passengers. So what if we were flying on a shitty, budget carrier? It was like we were the worst team in the NFL playing against the Patriots. Like we were David going up against Goliath. Like we were the underdogs, determined to prove everyone wrong. It didn’t matter what people thought of us. We were a community… We were in this together…

We were Spirit.