What It’s Like to Fly Silver Airways
Jen Ruiz
July 23, 2023
6 min read
Table of Contents
Silver Airways is an affordable, no-frills airline based out of Florida with routes that get you to neighboring states and the Caribbean in approximately two hours or less. With no seat classes, food, or middle seats, guests always know exactly what to expect. It may not be fancy, but it gets passengers from point A to point B safely.
Founded in: 2011
Hub cities: Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa
Fleet: Fully turboprop with passenger fleet consisting of 8 ATR 42-600 and 4 ATR 72-600. The cargo fleet has 5 ATR 72-500F and is operated for Amazon Prime Air.
Subsidiaries: Seaborne Airlines
CEO: Steve Rossum
Alliance: No current major global alliances
Nonstop routes: 16 international destinations and 12 domestic destinations
Safety rating: 6/7
On-time rating: 72%
Nationality: United States
Domestic classes of service: Basic economy
International classes of service: Basic economy
Where Silver Airways flies
Silver Airways has routes along the southeast coast of the US and the Caribbean. All of its flights are roughly two hours or less. The longest flight is two and a half hours from Jacksonville, Florida, to New Orleans, Louisiana. The second longest flight is two hours and twenty-five minutes from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Charleston, South Carolina.
Popular cities include San Juan, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa. Silver Airways is also an easy option for those flying to Key West who want to avoid driving along the Overseas Highway.
What we love about it: No middle seats
What we don’t love about it: No food or beverages on board
Tips for booking flights on Silver Airways
Booking on Silver Airways is straightforward. You can make a flight reservation through its website or on your mobile device. If you don’t enter a date, the site will default to a monthly calendar view so you can view which flights are available and easily see the cheapest days to fly.
If you enter a date, it will show fares for the week above the rate so you can quickly compare the price difference if you fly plus or minus 3-4 days. If there is no flight available on your selected date, it will say N/A.
What it’s like to fly Silver Airways
Checking in
You can check-in online through the Silver Airways website on your phone or desktop computer. For certain flights, particularly when returning from an international trip, check-in might be limited to in-person at the airport. If you’re able to check-in, Silver Airways will issue you a mobile boarding pass. You also have the option to email or print your ticket. If you have it, TSA PreCheck will be reflected on your boarding pass.
For international flights, you will need to upload your passport information ahead of time. You can select seats at the time of booking or during check-in.
Luggage
A carry-on and personal item are included in all tickets. Checked bags are charged per piece, per route, each way.
The first checked bag ranges from $30-$50 depending on the destination and whether you pay ahead of time or at the airport. A second checked bag costs anywhere from $40-$55, and a third checked bag is a $100 flat fee. Checked bags must be 50 pounds or less to avoid incurring an additional overweight baggage fee.
Seats
Legroom on Silver Airways flights ranges from 29” to 33” depending on the seat, though there is no difference in classes and all passengers are treated the same. There are no entertainment screens on the backs of seats or in-flight magazines provided. There is also no WiFi on board. Silver Airways has one bathroom per plane.
The ATR 42-600 has 23 rows seating 46 passengers per plane. The ATR 72-600 has 35 rows and accommodates 70 passengers. On both planes, seats are 18.5” wide and there is no middle seat—every seat is a window or aisle seat. The last row does not recline. The only emergency exit seats are in the first row, and they do not have under-seat storage.
The seats themselves are standard and comfortable, made of Neo Prestige by Geven using natural leather. Geven is an Italian designer of customized upholstery for aircraft seating and interiors. There is a tray table on the back of every seat that can be unlocked, on which to place food and beverages. There is also a pocket on the back of every seat that holds the airplane’s safety instructions. The seats share an armrest between the window and aisle seat.
If you book an Escape fare—Silver Airways' most budget-friendly option—you can reserve a seat at the time of booking for $4 if the flight is 90 minutes or less or $8 for flights longer than 90 minutes.
Food and drink
There is no food served on board Silver Airways flights. The airline serves mini water bottles or cups of water free of charge. There are no other drinks available, neither complimentary nor for purchase.
Domestic flights on Silver Airways
There are three types of fares: Escape, Freedom, and Refundable. Each ticket includes one carry-on item and one personal item.
The Escape ticket is the most basic, with no benefits. It basically just guarantees you’ll be on the plane and you’ll get a seat assigned at check in, or you can select one yourself when checking in online.
The Freedom fare has free seat assignments, free ticket changes, and the ability to reschedule at the last minute.
The Refundable ticket has free ticket changes, free seat assignments, and is refundable. Not every fare type is available for every route.
International flights on Silver Airways
International flights on Silver Airways are largely the same as domestic flights. There are three types of fares available. As with domestic routes, each ticket includes one carry-on item and one personal item. Checked luggage is available for an additional fee. Silver Airways may limit the amount of luggage you can check a few days prior to your flight depending on weight limits for the plane and expected occupancy.
Whether you’re flying international or domestic, you board and disembark from the back of the plane. This means you need to brave the elements and use steps to board. They have staff standing by to help you with your carry-on luggage and umbrellas available in the event of inclement weather. This also means if you want to be the first to deplane, you should aim to sit in the back.
Silver Airways does not have boarding zones but may ask you to line up by rows, or to just line up in general, depending on the airport. The overhead bins are smaller than other planes, similar to a short connecting flight on legacy airlines.
Silver Airways Reviews
The Better Business Bureau shows complaints regarding delays, missed connections, lost luggage, and long wait times to speak to a customer service agent over the phone. Skytrax similarly has complaints about long wait times and difficulty getting issues resolved through the customer service channels. Generally, people speak positively about the service on board the planes and value for the money.
Primary Silver Airways Partners
Silver Airways is not part of any alliance, but it is a codeshare partner with United, JetBlue, American, Delta, Avianca, and Copa Airlines. It also has interline agreements with Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Azul, Bahamasair, Emirates, and Hahn Air, as well as any airlines they partner with.
Cheap flights we've sent to Going members on Silver Airways:
- New Orleans for $126 roundtrip
- Dominican Republic for $270 roundtrip
- Charleston for $148 roundtrip
Read more about some of the lesser-known airlines we find great cheap flights on:
Frequently asked questions about Silver Airways
Is Silver Airways a good airline?
Where does Silver Airways fly?
How much is a checked bag on Silver Airways?
Is Silver Airways safe?
Published July 23, 2023
Last updated December 21, 2023
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