This article will tell you all you need to know about how much baggage you can take on your Spirit Airlines flight. Nearly all baggage is subject to a fee on Spirit, including carry-on bags such as small suitcases. Only personal items such as purses or a laptop bag can be taken on board free of charge.
You have many opportunities to purchase a carry-on or check-in baggage allowances, either online or at the airport. Baggage charges are cheaper online and the cheapest rates can be found when you book and pay for your baggage at the same time when you book your flight.
Spirit Cabin Baggage
When flying with Spirit, your only free baggage allowance is a personal item such as a laptop bag or purse smaller than 18 x 14 x 8in (45 x 35 x 20cm), including handles and wheels. An additional carry-on bag has to be paid for.
You have five options when can purchase a carry-on baggage allowance (one item only):
- During the online booking process
- Online before check-in
- During the online check-in process
- At the airport desk
- At the airport departure gate
The price increases the closer you get to the flight departure. You can get a small discount on the standard fees if you are a member of the Spirit Saver$ Club when you buy the cabin baggage allowance online up to and including during the online check-in process. The Spirit Saver$ Club membership costs $70 per year.
Spirit has an online baggage calculator called the ‘Spirit Bag-O-Tron’ which displays the carry-on (and check-in) baggage allowance fees for a specific route.
Optional Services | Spirit Airlines
Using the ‘Bag-O-Tron’ I checked the carry-on baggage fees for a variety of Spirit flights. This is what I found:
So, if you want to take a carry-on bag as well as a personal item on board the aircraft you will need to pay between around $US40 to $US70 if you purchase online before, or during check-in. If you wait until you get to the airport, there is a flat rate of $US79 at the check-in desk and $US89 at the gate, regardless of route.
Paid-for carry-on bags can have maximum dimensions of 22 x 18 x 10in (56 x 46 x 25cm), including handles and wheels. Spirit may require your carry-on bag to be checked in if it cannot be safely stowed on a particular flight.
The following items do not count towards a passenger’s cabin baggage allowance:
- Assist pet carrier when traveling with assist/service animal
- Camera
- Crutches/canes/braces or other prosthetic devices upon which the passenger is dependent
- Food for consumption on board the flight
- Infant bag, when traveling with the infant
- Infant/child car seats, when the child is carried in the seat
- One duty-free box or bag containing duty-free items
- Outer garments (coats/hats/wraps)
- Reading material for the flight
- One collapsible stroller, compact folding stroller, or folding wagon, when the child is traveling
- Umbrella
Spirit Check-In Luggage
Standard Size and Weight Limits
Spirit’s standard check-in bag has maximum dimensions totaling 62in/158cm (length + width + height), including handles and wheels, and a maximum weight of 40lb (18.1 kg).
Any bag that exceeds these limits is considered to be oversized or overweight and is subject to an excess baggage fee.
Spirit does accept bags that weigh more than 100lb (45kg). Items that measure total dimensions of more than 80in (203cm) are classified as ‘special items’.
Standard Check-in Baggage Fees
Spirit allows you to purchase check-in baggage allowances for up to five standard check-in bags online. Similar to carry-on bags, you have five options when can purchase a check-in baggage allowance:
- During the online booking process
- Online before check-in
- During the online check-in process
- At the airport desk
- At the airport departure gate
The prices per check-in bag increase the closer you get to the flight departure. You can get a small discount on the standard fees if you are a member of the Spirit Saver$ Club when you buy the check-in baggage allowance online up to and including during the online check-in process.
Note that if you want to take more than one check-in bag you will need to pay for these online or at the check-in desk. You cannot take more than one unpaid check-in bag to the gate.
Using Spirit’s ‘Bag-O-Tron’ I checked the standard baggage fees for the same example flights that I checked the carry-on baggage fees. These are the typical fees (per bag):
- First check-in bag online*: $US32 – $US58
- Second check-in bag online*: $US57 – $US78
- Third to fifth check-in bag online*: $US85 – $99
- First check-in bag at airport desk: $US79
- Second check-in bag at airport desk: $US79
- Third to fifth check-in bag at airport desk: $US100
- First check-in bag at airport gate: $US89
- Second check-in bag at airport gate: Not available
- Third to fifth check-in bag at airport gate: Not available
*Online price ranges include purchase during booking, before check-in, and during check-in. The highest online prices apply during online check-in and the lowest during the original flight booking process.
Remember that Spirit’s standard check-in bag weight is only 40lb (18.1kg) which is lower than the industry standard economy class check-in bag weight of 50lb (23kg). If your check-in bag weighs more than 40lb you’ll need to pay an excess baggage charge – see below.
If, for example, you wanted to take 65lb/30kg of check-in baggage weight with you, what is the best tactic? If you purchased two check-in bags (each weighing less than 40lb/18kg) online when you book your flight this is going to cost you around $US90 – $US100. If you purchase one standard bag online when you book your flight (costing around $US35) and then turn up at the airport check-in with one bag weighing 65lb/30kg, this is going to cost you the first and second-tier overweight baggage fees of $US50 and $US75 in addition to the original online baggage fee to give a total of around $US160. So, try and plan ahead and work out how much check-in baggage weight you need and then buy the required number of bags in advance, remembering that Spirit’s standard bag weight is only 40lb/18.1kg.
Excess Baggage
Any bag that exceeds Spirit’s 40lb/62in standard check-in bag is subject to an excess baggage fee in addition to the standard baggage fee paid.
Excess baggage fees for overweight bags come in three tiers as follows:
Excess baggage fees for oversized bags come in two tiers as follows:
Check-in Baggage Allowances For Military Personnel
Spirit offers two free check-in bags and a free carry-on bag in addition to the already free personal item for active-duty US military personnel. This benefit only applies to the active military member.
Baggage Embargoes
International passengers traveling on Spirit are subject to baggage restrictions as shown in the table below:
Sports Equipment
Spirit will carry a wide variety of sporting equipment. Some items can be taken as cabin baggage, or as check-in baggage, whereas other items can only be taken as a check-in items. In most cases, standard baggage size and weight limits, standard charges, and excess baggage charges apply. In certain cases, specific fees and/or conditions apply:
- Bicycles are charged at $US75 each way and excess baggage weight/size limits and charges are waived.
- Surfboards (up to two surfboards in one bag) are charged at $US100 each way and oversize limits and charges and overweight charges are waived.
- Golf bags can be checked-in. Oversize baggage fees are waived, but overweight baggage fees still apply.
- Hockey equipment can be checked-in. Oversize baggage fees are waived, but overweight baggage fees still apply.
- Vaulting poles and javelins can be checked in and are exempt from size limits. However, oversize charges apply if the item is greater than 62in total dimensions. Overweight charges are applicable.
- Canoes, boats, and kayaks are not accepted.
- Bags containing lacrosse sticks can be checked-in and are exempt from oversize charges. However, overweight charges are applicable.
- Water or snow ski and snowboard equipment – bags containing skis or snowboards are exempt from oversize limits. However, oversize charges apply if the bag is greater than 62in total dimensions. Overweight charges are applicable.
- Windsurfing equipment is not accepted.
Musical Instruments
Musical Instruments are included as part of a passenger’s standard baggage and are accepted as check-in baggage if they are appropriately packaged in a container or case. Music instruments that exceed 150in total dimensions or 165lb are not accepted.
Small musical instruments (e.g. violins, flutes, guitars, etc.) are permitted as carry-on baggage as long as the instrument can be safely stowed in the overhead bin or under a seat.
Spirit allows musical instruments to be taken into the aircraft cabin as seat baggage if the instrument is too large to be stowed safely in an overhead compartment or under a passenger seat. The passenger must purchase an additional seat for the instrument; no additional fees are charged.
Traveling With Infants
Spirit accepts one collapsible/folding/compact stroller per child as check-in baggage free of charge, and a stroller is not considered part of a passenger’s allowance.
If the folded/collapsed stroller fits within Spirit’s carry-on baggage size limit, it may be accepted as a carry-on item. Onboard, the stroller must be stowed in the overhead compartment.
One car seat will also be accepted per child as check-in baggage free of charge, and the car seat is not considered part of a passenger’s baggage allowance. One FAA-approved car seat may be taken on board the aircraft if a seat has been purchased for the child.
An infant bag for a traveling infant can be taken into the aircraft cabin and does not count as part of any cabin baggage allowance.
Conclusion
The only free baggage allowance when traveling Spirit is one small personal item such as a handbag or a laptop bag.
A carry-on bag and check-in bag allowances can be purchased online, at the airport check-in desk, or at the gate. Baggage fees are always cheaper if you book and pay for additional baggage online, and the earlier you book and pay the cheaper the online price will be, with the best prices available when you make the original flight booking.
You can take up to five check-in bags with you, and if you want to take more than one check-in bag with you make sure you book and pay for your check-in bag allowance online or at the check-in desk. Spirit will only accept one un-booked check-in bag per passenger at the gate.
Remember that Spirit’s standard check-in bag weight is only 40lb/18.1kg which is less than the economy class 50lb/23kg industry standard.
And, make note of Spirit’s international destination baggage embargo which limits passengers to one check-in item from December 1st to January 10th, unless the aircraft inventory allows additional bags to be purchased.
