Why I paid $55 to bring a carry-on bag -- and would do it again
Spirit is an interesting airline.
Personally, I appreciate the carrier's quirky approach to flying and low-fares-first attitude. I don't mind that the seats are smaller than many others or that the planes are the color of a bright, yellow highlighter. I like the affordable prices, and sometimes that matters more to me than legroom, lounges or perks.
But we all have a line we won't cross to save a buck. And I found mine at the Spirit check-in counter at Orlando International Airport (MCO) when flying home to Houston with my two kids.
Get more travel stories and tips delivered to your inbox by signing up for the TPG daily newsletter.
With Spirit, it's usually cheaper to check a full-sized bag than it is to bring a carry-on. The reason: to speed up boarding and get more use out of each plane every day. This is true whether you take the opportunity to lock in bag fees when you book your ticket or wait until the day of travel when the prices for some bag fees have increased by 45% or more.
The only free carry-on you typically get with the airline is a personal item the size of a purse, computer bag or small backpack. Anything larger comes with a fee. Unfortunately, on this trip, a backpack's worth of stuff didn't cut it.
In my case, I actually had access to one free carry-on bag and one free checked bag thanks to Spirit Gold status in the airline's revamped frequent flyer program that launched in early 2021. Spirit gifted me this status as a way to test out the perks, but Spirit status is also available through a match if you have status with another airline.
Related: Things to know before flying Spirit Airlines
The one free carry-on bag I'm awarded worked as intended on my reservation, but I'd planned to check the second carry-on-size bag we had with us since that would also be free with my status perks.
I expected a line to check the bag, but unfortunately, one look at the check-in line that snaked around the Orlando Spirit ticketing area, and I knew there was no way I was going to save a few bucks by investing that amount of time in checking our second bag. There easily could have been between 75 and 100 people in line, and it wasn't moving along very quickly.
Instead, I went to a Spirit kiosk that had no line and paid a whopping $55 to have my daughter carry on our second bag for the two-hour flight home.
I've paid some crazy prices when I've found myself in a pinch during a trip, but I've never paid that much money to carry a bag onto an airplane. In fact, that bag fee was $13 more than the ticket itself. But ending a busy weekend at Disney World with two kids in an extremely long line that didn't end with a fun roller coaster ride wasn't the last memory I wanted us to have of this vacation.
Related: What are Spirit Airlines miles worth?
If you find yourself cramming your belongings into one larger bag instead of several smaller ones or simply want to avoid the expense of bringing a carry-on bag, remember to take your mental health into consideration before heading to the airport.
While not all Spirit check-in counters have lines as long as the one we saw in Orlando the other day, it's certainly not uncommon. So, ultimately, I paid $55 to skip the line — saving time was the better deal in this scenario and we still came out ahead over what tickets home on another airline would have cost. For others, or at other times, saving the cash and investing the time in line would be the more valuable option.
But deciding to forgo that wait was only an option for us because our second suitcase was carry-on sized. If we'd packed a single, larger suitcase instead, we wouldn't have had an alternative.
Before you head off on your next no-frills Spirit flight (or with any carrier that uses a similar bag fee pricing structure), ensure that checking a bag is really worth the dollars you might save. It can cost you a whole lot of time and sanity in exchange for savings. There are undoubtedly more Spirit flights in my future, but I'll be thinking twice before planning to check a bag at one of Spirit's busy airport locations with no self-checking alternative.
If you decide that checking a bag really is the way to go, allow more time at the airport than you think you'll need -- and consider bringing snacks and water for the wait, too.
Feature photo by Summer Hull / The Points Guy.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.