Things to Know Before You Fly Spirit Airlines

Getting a $26 flight to Las Vegas with Spirit Airlines may seem like a fantastic deal at first glance. However, don’t be too quick to celebrate, as the actual cost of your journey is likely to go beyond that initial ticket price. This is because Spirit Airlines operates on a unique pricing model, where the base airfare may be low, but additional services come at extra charges.

Spirit’s seats are undeniably affordable, but what sets them apart is there a la carte approach to pricing. Unlike other airlines that include amenities like soft drinks and reserved seats in the overall ticket cost, Spirit charges separately for these services. As a result, your $26 flight can quickly accumulate extra fees, making it comparable to or even more expensive than flights offered by non-budget airlines. Stay vigilant and consider the full picture before celebrating that seemingly unbeatable deal.

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Understanding Spirit Airlines Bag Policies:

  • Personal Item: Size: Up to 18 by 14 by 8 inches, including handles and wheels.
  • Carry-on: Size: Up to 22 by 18 by 10 inches, including handles and wheels.
  • Checked Bag: Size: Up to 62 linear inches (length plus width plus height), including handles and wheels.
  • Weight: Must be less than 100 pounds (additional fees for overweight/oversize baggage).

It’s crucial to note that the size of your bag matters when categorizing it as a personal item, carry-on, or checked bag. Even if your bag fits under the seat, it might not qualify as a personal item. Similarly, a seemingly small suitcase may not meet the criteria for a carry-on. Understanding these distinctions can help you adhere to Spirit’s guidelines and avoid unexpected issues during your journey.

Flight Flex Costs and Considerations

Adding Flight Flex to your flight comes with an extra cost, like baggage fees, and the amount can differ depending on the flight. For example, on a $26 flight from Seattle to Las Vegas, the Flight Flex option costs $45. Still, there are restrictions with Flight Flex: you can only make one change, and it must be done further than 24 hours before the listed flight. Also, if there is a difference in fares, you still need to pay that.

This is why Flight Flex may not be a good choice. Let’s say you are changing your $26 flight to a new $100 flight. With Flight Flex, you already paid $71 ($45 for Flight Flex and $26 for the original flight). But you still owe $74 for the fare difference, making the total cost $145 after all the fees.

Flight Flex is also part of Spirit’s Bundle It Combo, where you pay one fee for colorful add-ons. However, the bundle option might be more cost-effective, if you plan to change your flight and check bags anyway.

In some cases, it might be financially better to skip Flight Flex and book your airfare without it. However, you can reserve a fully new ticket, if your plans change. However, it’s often a good idea to reserve a roundtrip flight as two separate one-way fares to avoid issues with your return trip if you need to change the outbound one, if you go this route.

Spirit Airlines Check In Know the Costs and Options

There is no charge for checking in online for your Spirit flight. Once you’ve checked in, you can also print your boarding pass at home for free.

If you do not plan, you might end up paying extra.

It’ll bring you $2, If you choose to print your boarding pass at an airport kiosk. However, be ready to pay even more, $10 for having an airport agent print your boarding pass If you prefer human assistance over using the kiosk.

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