Spirit Airlines Baggage and Carry-on

What is Spirit Airlines’ policy on carry-on allowance?

Passengers are allowed to bring on board one personal item, free of charge, and, for a fee, one carry-on item.

What is Spirit Airlines’ policy on checked baggage allowance?

Spirit Airlines policy is to offer ultra-low fares with a range of optional services – including checked bags – for a fee. Therefore, there is no free checked baggage allowance on Spirit Airlines flights, and charges apply for all checked baggage. However, while Spirit Airlines guarantees at least one checked bag per passenger, additional bags are available for purchase based on availability.

What restrictions regarding size and weight apply for checked bags on Spirit Airlines flights?

Spirit Airlines will charge only the standard checked bag fee (no overweight and/or oversized baggage charges) for any checked baggage that does not exceed the standard size and weight limits:

• 62 linear inches (158 linear cm) – length + width + height, including handles and wheels.
• 40 lbs (18.1 kg).

The maximum size and weight of a checked bag accepted on Spirit Airlines flights are:

• 100 lbs (45 kg) per checked bag.
• 80 linear inches (203 cm) in overall size.

Other size and weight restrictions may apply for travel to/from certain international cities at all times or just during embargo periods.

Carry-on

Spirit Airlines always accepts one personal item per customer, free of charge. A personal item may consist of a purse, backpack, laptop computer, musical instrument, etc. Personal item dimensions must not exceed 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm), including handles and wheels. Otherwise, it is no longer considered a personal item, and carry-on or checked bag charges will apply.

The carry-on bag must fit into an overhead bin or under-seat space and not exceed 22 x 18 x 10 inches (56 x 46 x 25 cm), including handles and wheels. Carry-on bags exceeding these dimensions must be checked, and checked bag charges will apply. If a carry-on bag can’t be safely stowed on a particular flight, Spirit Airlines may require you to check it. Excess items will be charged according to checked baggage charges. When checked at the gate, bags will be charged at a higher rate.

The following items are not counted as carry-on items and can be brought on board, free of charge, on all flights:

• An assist pet carrier, when traveling with assist/service animal.
• Camera.
• Assistive devices upon which the customer is dependent.
• Food for consumption during the flight.
• One infant bag, when traveling with the infant.
• One child safety seat per child, when the child is carried in the seat.
• Stroller, when the child is carried in the stroller
• One duty-free bag or box containing duty-free items.
• Outer garments (coats, hats, wraps).
• Reading material for the flight.
• Umbrella.

Carry-on Bag Fee

The carry-on bag fee is non-refundable and may be paid in advance or at the airport. Depending on when and where the carry-on bag fee is paid, the following fees apply.

Checked Baggage

If you are planning to travel with checked baggage, you can add bags to your reservations by purchasing them in advance of your arrival at the airport. Bags can be purchased online by accessing your reservation:

• More than 24 hours prior to departure, at the time of booking, or through the “My Trips” tab on spirit.com.
• Starting 24 hours before departure, through Online/Mobile Check-in.

All bags must be checked at the airport in advance of the scheduled departure, and name identification is required on the outside of all bags. However, Spirit Airlines recommends that you also place identification on the inside. Spirit Airlines will not accept baggage more than 4 hours before the scheduled departure time. If you purchase your bags and check in online, then you can use Spirit’s self-tagging service (print your own bag tags at a kiosk and tag your own bags) and the Fast Bag Drop (available at certain airports) which will save you a lot of time.

If you want to check one or more bags, you must pay the applicable charges. However, there are certain items that Spirit Airlines doesn’t consider as part of the passenger’s normal baggage allowance and accepts as checked baggage free of charge:

• One car seat and one stroller checked at the ticket counter or at the gate when traveling with a child.
• A wheelchair and other assistive/mobility devices checked at the ticket counter or the gate.

Checked Baggage Fees

Checked baggage fees can be paid in advance or at the airport and are non-refundable. The following checked baggage fees apply depending on when and where the fees are paid.

The following fees apply for baggage that exceeds the standard size and weight:

• Overweight baggage:
  • $79 per bag – 41-50 lbs (18-23 kg).
  • $125 per bag – 51-100 lbs (23-45 kg).

• Oversized baggage:
  • $150 per bag – 63-80 inches (158-203 cm).
  • $150 per bag – special items over 80 linear inches (203 cm).

Sporting Equipment

Most sporting equipment (snowboards, skis, golf equipment, wakeboards, hockey/lacrosse equipment, etc.) will be accepted as normal checked baggage if it weighs less than 40 lbs. The oversized baggage fee is waived, but the oversized special item fee and the overweight fee will apply.

Some sporting equipment is not included in the customer’s standard baggage and will be subject to an extra charge ($75 – bicycle, $100 – maximum 2 surfboards in one bag, overweight and oversized baggage fees waived).

Scuba tanks, windsurfing equipment, boats, kayaks, and canoes are not accepted for transport.

Baggage Service

If your baggage is damaged or delayed, you must notify a Spirit Airlines representative within 4 hours of arrival at your destination, unless applicable law or treaty provides for a longer period of time. All reports must be submitted in person at the airport. When traveling domestically (except to Puerto Rico or the U.S.Virgin Islands), you can file an incident report online, using the virtual Baggage Service office. When traveling internationally, reports must be submitted in person at the airport, at the local baggage service office. For customers whose bags have been delayed, Spirit Airlines allows reasonable interim expenses which must be receipted and limited to reasonable personal items (clothing and toiletries) purchased as a result of the delay. If your delayed baggage has not been located and returned within 5 days, you must mail a completed Customer Property Form to Spirit Airlines.

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