In the event you’ve booked a flight on Spirit Airways lately, you’ll have been thrilled at the price of the airfare — however there’s little doubt that a bit of sticker shock set in when realizing what number of extra charges the airline costs.
In the event you’re trying to deliver baggage with you in your flight, chances are you’ll be questioning how Spirit’s baggage charges work, how a lot they value and how one can keep away from paying them.
Spirit baggage charges: The fundamentals
In relation to the kinds of baggage included along with your ticket on Spirit Airways, there’s not a lot to say. One private merchandise might be introduced free of charge, however a carry-on bag or a checked bag will value additional.
Bag costs for Spirit aren’t particularly clear. Fairly than having one devoted chart, Spirit’s web site directs you to its baggage calculator, known as the Bag-O-Tron, the place you possibly can analysis the price of bringing a bag to your flight.
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Paying for a carry-on bag additionally entitles you to complimentary shortcut boarding, which places you within the Zone 2 boarding group.
So, how a lot are Spirit Airways’ baggage charges? We did a check search to see what sort of charges to count on.
For a flight from Austin to Atlanta in October 2023, you’ll pay from $48 to $100 for a bag, relying on the form of bag, whether or not you’re a Saver$ Membership member and while you buy the add-on.
Totally different sorts of luggage on Spirit
Spirit has three customary bag sizes for its flights:
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Private merchandise: 8 inches deep by 14 inches huge by 18 inches excessive.
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Carry-on bag: 10 inches deep by 18 inches huge by 22 inches excessive.
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Checked bag: 62 linear inches (all dimensions added collectively) and fewer than 40 kilos.
It’s additionally doable to verify obese baggage of as much as 100 kilos and 80 linear inches, although there could also be exceptions based mostly on the kind of baggage you’re checking (e.g., sports activities gear).
Different Spirit charges
Spirit retains its airfare prices as little as doable by charging ancillary charges for nearly every part. Listed here are some extras you possibly can select:
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Seat choice: $1 to $200.
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Large Entrance Seats: $12 to $750.
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Spirit Saver$ Membership membership: $69.95 to $129.90.
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Boarding cross printing (at airport): $25.
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Unaccompanied minors: $150 every means.
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Pet payment: $125 per pet container every means.
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Reward redemption payment: Free when flights are booked 60 or extra days earlier than departure; in any other case as much as $99.
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Shortcut boarding. $7.99 to $9.99 every means.
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Meals and beverage on board: $1 to $15.
Shopping for bundles: Simply For You and Bundle It
Whereas it’s doable to buy every addition individually, Spirit additionally lets you purchase bundles. These bundles can lower your expenses versus paying for every merchandise, although they might not be price it for those who’re solely searching for one or two choices.
There are two bundles: Simply For You and Bundle It.
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Simply For You gives a custom-made bundle based mostly in your reserving. Its choices can embody seat choice, precedence boarding and both a checked or carry-on bag.
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The Bundle It bundle consists of extra facilities resembling seat choice, precedence boarding, a checked bag (as much as 50 kilos), a carry-on bag and the flexibility to vary your flight as soon as free of charge.
How do I keep away from paying baggage charges on Spirit Airways?
Bringing something bigger than a private merchandise may end up in some hefty prices for flyers. Nonetheless, there are a few other ways to keep away from paying baggage charges on Spirit Airways.
First, Spirit has two tiers of elite standing: Gold and Silver. Silver is earned after accruing 2,000 Free Spirit Qualifying Factors (SQPs) in a 12 months, whereas Gold is earned after 5,000 SQPs.
Those that have earned Gold elite standing are entitled to a number of advantages, together with a free checked bag, a free carry-on bag, complimentary seat choice and waived pet charges.
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Spirit Airways will often supply the flexibility to standing match to its elite program, which generally is a quick and handy method to snag Gold elite standing.
In the event you don’t fly Spirit Airways steadily sufficient to earn elite standing, take into account as a substitute benefiting from the airline payment credit score provided by many alternative journey bank cards. For instance, The Platinum Card® from American Categorical gives a $200 annual airline payment credit score, which can be utilized to reimburse charges assessed by Spirit, together with baggage charges. Phrases apply.
How do Spirit bag charges evaluate with different airways?
In FinanceGrabber’s annual comparability of greatest airways, Spirit ranks practically final (eighth out of the 9 airways analyzed) in relation to charges. It beats out solely Frontier Airways, one other low-cost competitor, and falls far behind different full-service airways.
The typical bag charges have been $56 for a checked bag and $60 for a carry-on bag, simply edging Frontier for highest baggage charges.
The underside line
Spirit’s airfare prices might be shockingly low, however that is solely as a result of it upsells all of its facilities.
In the event you’re pleased flying bare-bones, this generally is a nice possibility to economize. However for those who’re the form of one that brings alongside baggage, prices can add up rapidly.
Select to bundle your ancillary choices to economize, or in any other case think about using a bank card that’ll reimburse you for all these bills.
(Prime photograph courtesy of Spirit Airways)
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