SpiceJet operates ~45 (operating) aircraft as of May 2026. Below is the detailed breakdown by aircraft type.
| Aircraft | Count | Capacity | Primary use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | ~10 | 189 seats | Newer, mostly metro routes |
| Boeing 737-800 | ~25 | 189 seats | Workhorse domestic + Gulf |
| Bombardier Q400 | ~10 | 78 seats | Regional UDAN + Tier-3 airports |
SpiceJet's fare structure offers 5 tiers that vary in baggage, meal, and flexibility benefits.
| Tier | Cabin | Check-in | Meal | Seat | Change fee | Refundable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpiceSaver Cheapest budget option |
7 kg | 15 kg | Buy on-board | Paid | ₹3,000 | No |
| SpiceFlex Slight schedule flexibility |
7 kg | 15 kg | Snack | Free (standard) | Zero (1 free) | Partial |
| SpicePlus Comfort with low-cost price |
7 kg | 20 kg | Hot meal | Free (premium) | Zero | Yes |
| SpiceMax Premium leisure |
10 kg | 25 kg | Premium meal + lounge | Extra-legroom rows | Zero | Yes |
| SpiceBiz Business travel needing recliner |
12 kg | 30 kg | Multi-course + lounge | Recliner front cabin | Zero | Yes |
DGCA April 2026 places SpiceJet at 68.4% OTP across the four metros — the lowest among major scheduled domestic carriers. The OTP dip concentrates on regional Q400 routes where aircraft-rotation slack is minimal. The 12-month rolling figure is similar. Improvement direction is positive (up from 62% in 2024) but the gap to IndiGo remains significant.
SpiceJet has not had a fatal accident in its 20-year history, though several non-fatal incidents in 2022 (turbulence + smoke events) drew DGCA scrutiny and led to a temporary capacity cap. DGCA lifted the cap by 2023 after audits confirmed corrective action. The airline holds IATA IOSA certification. Safety record is broadly acceptable; the bigger risk for passengers is schedule reliability, not safety.
Primary channels: 0124-486-2400, custcare@spicejet.com, @flyspicejet Twitter. DGCA Apr 2026 complaint rate is 0.78 per 10,000 — the highest among major carriers. The most common complaint category is refund delay (typically 30–60 days, sometimes longer). The airline's digital tools (app, web check-in) work but support during disruptions is uneven.
38 domestic + 12 international destinations as of 2026. Strong on regional Q400 routes (smaller airports), competitive on metro trunk routes (Delhi-Mumbai etc.), and limited international (Dubai, Sharjah, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Colombo, Male, Dhaka). Schedule has thinned from 2019 peak but stabilised in late 2024.
Domestic: 7 kg cabin + 15 kg check-in (Saver/Flex), 20 kg (Plus), 25 kg (Max), 30 kg (Biz). International: 30 kg check-in standard on Gulf, route-dependent elsewhere. Excess: ₹600–800/kg at airport — cheaper if pre-booked.
IndiGo wins on OTP, schedule, refund speed, and network. SpiceJet competes on price alone.
Akasa is more reliable, has a newer fleet, and clearer fare structure. Choose Akasa where it operates the route.
AIX has Tata-group disruption protection; SpiceJet doesn't. For Gulf trips, AIX wins. For domestic regional Q400 routes, SpiceJet is sometimes the only option.
SpiceJet's Q400s overlap on some regional UDAN routes. Star Air's Embraer 175 product is slightly more comfortable; Alliance Air is government-backed (lower disruption tail risk on UDAN routes).
Yes — SpiceJet has not had a fatal accident in 20 years and holds IATA IOSA certification. The 2022 DGCA capacity cap was lifted after corrective audits. The main passenger risk is schedule reliability (OTP 68% — lowest major carrier), not safety.
No, but the airline has been through severe financial restructuring. Cash infusion from new investors in late 2024 restored operational stability. The fleet is smaller (~45 operating vs 100+ in 2019) and the schedule thinner. Operating, but not at its 2019 peak scale.
Historically 30–60 days; sometimes longer. DGCA has issued multiple notices on refund delays. If you experience delays beyond 30 days, escalate via DGCA's Air Sewa portal or your card issuer's chargeback process.
For domestic trips where reliability matters (business, tight connections, important events), IndiGo. For price-sensitive leisure trips on overlapping routes, SpiceJet sometimes wins on fare by ₹500–1,500. For regional Q400 routes to smaller airports, SpiceJet is often the only option.
SpiceMax = premium economy on SpiceJet — extra-legroom, hot meal, lounge access where available. SpiceBiz = front-cabin recliner-style premium with multi-course meal + lounge. Both are unusual to find on a low-cost; SpiceBiz competes with IndiGoStretch + AIX Xpress Biz.
SpiceClub exists but is largely dormant. There is no meaningful miles-based loyalty offering at the moment. For loyalty value, fly IndiGo (6E Rewards credit card) or Air India / Air India Express (Maharaja Club).
SpiceJet is no longer the operationally-dangerous bet it was in 2022–24, but it's still the riskiest of the major Indian carriers. For one-way price-sensitive leisure trips on metro trunk routes, the savings can justify the disruption risk. For business travel, important events, or tight connections, the small premium to fly IndiGo / Akasa / AIX is worth paying.