Are All Flights in the U.S. This Expensive? Looking for Cheaper Options

Hey everyone,

I’m new to the U.S. and trying to book a flight from Indianapolis to Newark, but the prices seem really high. Spirit Airlines is charging $97, but that only includes a personal item—no seat selection, no carry-on, no checked bag, nothing. Meanwhile, United and American are charging $277 for the same flight, the only difference being that they include a checked bag.

Are all domestic flights in the U.S. this expensive, or are there cheaper alternatives I should be looking at? Any tips for finding budget-friendly flights would be really helpful!

Thanks!