Spirit Airlines Wants to 'Hug the Haters' With Free Miles

— -- Don't be a hater. Or do, and and get rewarded.

That's the latest message from Spirit Airlines to its many, many critics.

But the low-coast carrier Americans love to hate thinks it can embrace all the airline negativity out there and turn it into something positive: free airline miles.

As the airline puts it, "We're going to hug the haters."

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The airline will give away miles up to one billion. Travelers need to go to HateThousandMiles.com and vent on Spirit -- or any other carrier -- in 140 characters or less.

The payoff is 8,000 miles. And while that will get you "well on your way" to a free flight, the airline said, the minimum number of miles needed for a free flight is 10,000. The promotional miles can be combined with previously earned miles on Spirit.

"Airlines mess up -- but at least Spirit is willing to admit it," the promotional page reads.

"We know many customers love us and our approach to air travel," Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza said. We're confident once the haters see how we're different, and how much money they can save, they'll learn to love us, as well."

Because as soon as travelers understand that Spirit offers "a cheap seat for a cheap-a**," as the promotional video points out, maybe the mean tweets will stop.