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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Quick summary
Spirit Airlines is known for low fares but enforces strict baggage policies with numerous additional fees.
All passengers can bring one free personal item within generous size limits, but carry-on and checked bags incur charges.
Carry-on bag fees are typically higher than checked bag fees and both use dynamic pricing based on route and timing.
The checked baggage weight limit is 40 pounds, lower than most major airlines, with steep surcharges for overweight or oversized bags.
What to consider
Bag fees increase if not purchased during booking and are highest at the gate.
Excess, overweight and oversized baggage incur significant extra charges, and additional checked bags on international flights are subject to availability.
Membership programs, elite status or bundled packages can help reduce baggage costs, but benefits are limited to the status holder.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of Spirit's baggage fees, tips for minimizing costs and guidance on using the airline's online tools to estimate charges.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
People turn to Spirit Airlines because its fares are cheap. Spirit flights can be a great way to get to your destination without putting a serious dent in your wallet.
However, Spirit has a (deserved) reputation for charging additional fees. The airline that sensationalized charging customers to print their boarding passes at the airport also charges customers for carry-on and checked baggage. The Spirit Airlines baggage policy is one of the most restrictive you'll find.
There are a few ways to avoid some of the worst Spirit baggage fees. But you should be prepared to pay if you want to bring most types of luggage with you when you fly. This guide will cover all the information you need to know about the Spirit Airlines baggage policy.
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Spirit carry-on guidelines
(Photo by David Slotnick/The Points Guy)
The Spirit carry-on guidelines are some of the most restrictive that you'll find. The restrictions that Spirit and other discount airlines enforce are the basis for the basic economy product airlines such as American, Delta and United rolled out to compete with low fares.
One of the only areas where you'll find a bit of generosity is Spirit's definition of a personal item. All Spirit customers are permitted one free personal item on each flight. Spirit states the dimensions of a personal item must not exceed 18 inches by 14 inches by 8 inches, including handles and wheels. That's bigger than some other airlines, notably United.
As should be expected with a discount carrier, you'll generally pay to bring a full-sized carry-on with you on a Spirit flight. You'll also find the weight restrictions in the Spirit carry-on guidelines more onerous than other airlines.
Specifically, the airline uses a dynamic pricing model for carry-on and checked bags. So, flights at different times on the same day between the same city pairs will sometimes have different bag pricing. Here's an example showing two flights on the same day traveling from New Orleans to Las Vegas:
(Screenshot from spirit.com)(Screenshot from spirit.com)
As you can see from the above charts, it will generally cost you more to carry on a bag than to check one on a Spirit flight. My searches showed a range of $41 to $55 for a carry-on bag. Remember, that's the price for a one-way flight.
Unfortunately, the price goes up if you don't purchase your carry-on bag while booking your ticket. Generally speaking, you'll pay an extra $5 if you pre-purchase a carry-on bag before online check-in and an additional $5 if you wait until checking in online. If you decide to wait until you get to the gate to board your flight, the price will be even higher.
The only saving grace in the Spirit carry-on baggage guidelines is the size of bag you're allowed. Spirit says the bag can be up to 22 inches by 18 inches by 10 inches, which is a bit bigger than what United allows.
The best way to figure out how much a carry-on bag will cost on your Spirit flight is to use the "Spirit Bag-O-Tron."
As mentioned above, the Spirit checked bag fees are less than the cost of a carry-on bag. And, just like with carry-on bags, the best way to figure out exactly how much your checked bag will cost is to use the "Spirit Bag-O-Tron."
(Screenshot from spirit.com)
It's also worth noting another area where you can get tripped up. The Spirit baggage weight limit is 40 pounds per checked bag, not 50 pounds like many other airlines. You'll pay a $50 surcharge for that 41st pound, and the fees go up from there.
Overweight and oversized baggage fees
Spirit Airlines charges both an overweight and oversize fee. So, the fees can add up quickly. The Spirit baggage weight and oversize fees are as follows:
Overweight fee: $50 per bag if 41 to 50 pounds, an additional $75 per bag if 50 to 70 pounds and an additional $75 per bag if 71 to 100 pounds.
Oversized fee: Starting at $100 per bag if 63 to 80 inches, including wheels and handles.
Excess baggage fees
There's an interesting wrinkle to the Spirit Airlines baggage policy if you need to bring excess baggage. While the airline guarantees you'll be able to bring one checked bag on international flights, any additional bags are on a first-come, first-served basis. So you'll want to purchase your extra baggage allowance ahead of time to guarantee you can bring more than one checked bag.
Sporting equipment
Spirit maintains a smaller list of allowed sporting equipment than other airlines. Golf clubs, ski equipment and snowboard equipment are the only items that follow the standard checked baggage rates. You can check out the requirements and fees for checking various types of sports equipment on Spirit's website.
As you'll see in this section, there are several ways to avoid or reduce Spirit baggage fees.
Elite status allowances
Yes, Spirit does have an elite program, though it's maybe not as "elite" as some other airlines. That being said, Free Spirit Gold status does offer a free first checked bag for all flights. The benefit extends only to the person who holds the elite status and not to anyone else traveling with them. And, as TPG's Summer Hull found out, trying the benefit can be quite painful.
While there aren't many ways to make Spirit baggage fees disappear, you can reduce the amount you pay to check or carry on a bag. Spirit sells the "Boost It' and "Bundle It" packages on most of its flights. The pricing for these packages is dynamic but can save you a lot of money on baggage, especially if you plan to exceed 40 pounds for your checked bag or want to bring both a checked bag and a carry-on.
(Screenshot from spirit.com)
Spirit $avers Club
The other way to save money on Spirit carry-on and checked bag fees is with the Spirit $avers Club. The club costs $69.95 for a 12-month membership and offers savings on some fares, baggage fees, seat selections and add-ons. If you plan to fly Spirit regularly, it wouldn't be hard to save the price of membership over a year.
On the other hand, some American Express cards offer annual airline fee credits specifically for non-ticket airline incidentals. If you have an eligible card, you may want to enroll in this benefit, select Spirit as your airline of choice and then use your card to pay your baggage fees. Enrollment is required.
Unlike other major airlines, the Spirit Airlines baggage policy doesn't give you many options to reduce or eliminate fees. Holding the Free Spirit® Travel More World Elite Mastercard® won't even get you a free checked bag. And Spirit named the Big Front Seat well since the upgrade to a larger seat won't get you a free or discounted bag either.
The information for the Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Spirit baggage weight limit on checked baggage (40 pounds) is lower than most other airlines. So you'll want to take into account how much Spirit's baggage fees will add to the total price of your cheap airline ticket. But at least you can use the Spirit Bag-O-Tron to determine how much cash you'll be parting with to check or carry on a bag.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
