Spirit Airlines Advice

[Halloween Baby]

I booked a trip next week for my 16 mo. old son and I to go to Chicago for my grandma's 90th birthday. I found out afterwards how restrictive they are and how many fees they have. Anyone have any advice for how I can pack more and spend less? I plan on checking the pack and play and carrying on my one bag and the baby bag for free.

 

[ArielRae]

One thing when I traveled with DS for our Disney cruise it that they consider a pack n play differently at my airport and Orlando's airport. Mine I had to pay for checking the pack n play but at Orlando they considered it like a bassinet for him to sleep in and it was free. Sadly I paid for it to be checked already cause of my airport.

You all ready know you can get the diaper bag on free so make sure you have a pretty big diaper bag but it has to fit under the seat still for it to be free.

Are you buying him a seat or holding him in your lap? We held DS in our lap to save money cause his was still under 2.

 

[GrumpyBa*D]

your bag unless it is under the seat will also cost you. Actually more than checking it. If you didn't get your son a seat not sure about you carrying on a bag and one for him. They are the biggests pains with the fees. Been there done that.

 

[Sagginit]

tough one, spirit is very strict. unless they have changed the last time i flew with them we had to pay for a larger carry on. they have boxes and if it does not fit they will charge you, i even saw people withe large backpacks that had to pay. also they seat in order of who paid for carry ons to ensure those who paid put theirs overhead and others have to sit with their bags under the seat (or feet!). i would do this, i would not pack anything you can buy when you get there. as other stated if you did not buy a seat for the child you will only get one small personal bag for free. think about the cost of diapers, formula, wipes, toothpaste etc. it may not be as much as the cost for another bag so i would pack only what you need and buy the rest there.

personally i never mind having to pay the baggage fees, even with those spirit is often the cheapest flight i can get when i travel.

 

[girli565]

carry on is $30 on spirit, if you prepay it. i'd suggest prepaying it on the website.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

Checked baggage must not exceed 40 lb. or pay an extra fee. Keep that in mind when packing.

Can you ship a box of your things to grandma's via UPS? This may be more economical than paying Spirit's baggage fees and it will be one less thing to carry through the airport.

 

[M5ward]

Carry-On Allowance: 1 Bag + 1 Personal Item
Each passenger is allowed to carry on one bag and one personal item such as a purse or briefcase. Please note that Spirit Airlines charges a fee of up to $45 for the one carry-on bag – see the Baggage Fee section below for a list of applicable fees. Each passenger is also allowed one personal item such as a purse, small backpack or briefcase at no charge. Assistive devices, outer garments and infant diaper bags do not count towards carry on allowance and can be brought free of charge. All carry-on luggage must fit in the overhead bin and the personal item must fit under the seat in front of you and adhere to the following requirements:
Maximum Dimensions of Personal item: 16in x 14in x 12in (length x width x height)
Maximum Dimensions of Carry-on Luggage: 22in x 18in x 10in (length x width x height)
REMINDER: Bulkhead seats do not have underseat storage during take-off and landing.
Read Bulkheads Explained
Checked Baggage Allowance
Spirit Airlines charges a fee for all checked baggage - please see the Baggage Fee table below for a list of applicable fees. All checked luggage must adhere to the following requirements:
Maximum Dimensions: 62 linear inches/158 cm (length + width + height)
Maximum Weight: 40 lb/18.1 kg
Baggage Fees ( all charges are per bag and is each way)
Online purchase Domestic International
Carry-On Bag (At Booking / before check-in) $30 $30
First Checked Bag (At Booking / before check-in) $28 $33
Second Checked Bag (At Booking / before check-in) $35 $40
Third, Fourth, Fifth Checked Bag (At Booking / before check-in) $85 $90
Carry-On Bag (At Check-In) $35 $35
First Checked Bag (At Check-In) $33 $38
Second Checked Bag (At Check-In) $40 $45
Third, Fourth, Fifth Checked Bag (At Check-In) $90 $95
Spirit Airlines also provides discount on baggage fees to customers who participate in the $9 FARE CLUB. You can find more information on Spirit Airlines fees here
Please note that airline policies and fees change frequently. We recommend verifying the actual cost of any applicable baggage fees on the Spirit Airlines website when making your travel plans.
Overweight Baggage Fees
Fee for any bag weighing 41-50 lb (18 - 23 kg): $25.00 per bag
Fee for any bag weighing 51-70 lb (23 - 32 kg): $50 per bag
Fee for any bag weighing 71-99 lb (32 - 45 kg): $100 per bag
Bags weighing more than 99 lb will not be accepted. If a bag is both oversize and overweight, passengers will be charged both fees.
Also between Dec 1 and Jan 10, bags cannot exceed 50 lb/22.73 kg for international destinations.
Oversize Baggage Fees
Fee for any bag between 62-79 linear inches: $100 per bag
Fee for any bag between 80-159 linear inches: $150 per bag
Bags exceeding 160 inches will not be accepted. If a bag is both oversize and overweight, passengers will be charged both fees.
Sports Equipment
Some checked items, such as bicycles and surfboards will be charged a fixed handling fee between $75 - $100 because of size, fragility, or other handling requirements while others may be checked in lieu of one of your checked bags. If you plan to travel with sporting equipment, contact Spirit Airlines directly to confirm packing regulations and fees.

 

[RMAMom]

If your staying with a relative have you thought about sending a box of clothes and things you'll need. You could ship it out UPS or a carrier of your choice ahead of time and it will be there waiting for you when you get there. It may or may not be cheaper but at least you wont have to stress over it.

 

[cglaura]

Carry-On Allowance: 1 Bag + 1 Personal Item
Each passenger is allowed to carry on one bag and one personal item such as a purse or briefcase. Please note that Spirit Airlines charges a fee of up to $45 for the one carry-on bag – see the Baggage Fee section below for a list of applicable fees. Each passenger is also allowed one personal item such as a purse, small backpack or briefcase at no charge. Assistive devices, outer garments and infant diaper bags do not count towards carry on allowance and can be brought free of charge. All carry-on luggage must fit in the overhead bin and the personal item must fit under the seat in front of you and adhere to the following requirements:
Maximum Dimensions of Personal item: 16in x 14in x 12in (length x width x height)
Maximum Dimensions of Carry-on Luggage: 22in x 18in x 10in (length x width x height)
REMINDER: Bulkhead seats do not have underseat storage during take-off and landing.
Read Bulkheads Explained
Checked Baggage Allowance
Spirit Airlines charges a fee for all checked baggage - please see the Baggage Fee table below for a list of applicable fees. All checked luggage must adhere to the following requirements:
Maximum Dimensions: 62 linear inches/158 cm (length + width + height)
Maximum Weight: 40 lb/18.1 kg
Baggage Fees ( all charges are per bag and is each way)
Online purchase Domestic International
Carry-On Bag (At Booking / before check-in) $30 $30
First Checked Bag (At Booking / before check-in) $28 $33
Second Checked Bag (At Booking / before check-in) $35 $40
Third, Fourth, Fifth Checked Bag (At Booking / before check-in) $85 $90
Carry-On Bag (At Check-In) $35 $35
First Checked Bag (At Check-In) $33 $38
Second Checked Bag (At Check-In) $40 $45
Third, Fourth, Fifth Checked Bag (At Check-In) $90 $95
Spirit Airlines also provides discount on baggage fees to customers who participate in the $9 FARE CLUB. You can find more information on Spirit Airlines fees here
Please note that airline policies and fees change frequently. We recommend verifying the actual cost of any applicable baggage fees on the Spirit Airlines website when making your travel plans.
Overweight Baggage Fees
Fee for any bag weighing 41-50 lb (18 - 23 kg): $25.00 per bag
Fee for any bag weighing 51-70 lb (23 - 32 kg): $50 per bag
Fee for any bag weighing 71-99 lb (32 - 45 kg): $100 per bag
Bags weighing more than 99 lb will not be accepted. If a bag is both oversize and overweight, passengers will be charged both fees.
Also between Dec 1 and Jan 10, bags cannot exceed 50 lb/22.73 kg for international destinations.
Oversize Baggage Fees
Fee for any bag between 62-79 linear inches: $100 per bag
Fee for any bag between 80-159 linear inches: $150 per bag
Bags exceeding 160 inches will not be accepted. If a bag is both oversize and overweight, passengers will be charged both fees.
Sports Equipment
Some checked items, such as bicycles and surfboards will be charged a fixed handling fee between $75 - $100 because of size, fragility, or other handling requirements while others may be checked in lieu of one of your checked bags. If you plan to travel with sporting equipment, contact Spirit Airlines directly to confirm packing regulations and fees.

This info might have changed. Last summer when dd flew, they did not allow her a laptop bag and her purse (both w/in the size limit and weight). They wanted to charge her $45 extra to carry both on. She was able to stuff her purse into the laptop bag, so all ok.

I found this on their site:

Are there any restrictions on how many bags I can bring?

We allow one personal item free of charge; and for a fee we allow one carry-on bag, and at least one checked bag per customer.

While we guarantee all customers the ability to purchase one checked bag, any additional checked bags are based on availability.

For customers traveling to and from Lima, Peru, we only allow one checked bag per customer, and all items must meet weight and size restrictions.​

http://spirit.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/987/related/1​

How much does Spirit charge for bags?

We empower you to save money on air travel by offering ultra low fares with a range of optional services - including bags - for a fee, allowing you the freedom to choose only the extras you value.

You can view our current bag fees here, which includes carry-on, checked, overweight, oversized, and sporting equipment.

Remember, we always provide one personal item free of charge per customer. Personal items (e.g. purse, small backpack, briefcase, etc.) must fit underneath the seat, so the dimensions must not exceed 16 x 14 x 12 inches (40 x 35 x 30 cm).

Additionally, the following carry-on items are not counted towards a customer's carry-on bag allowance and can be brought with you on all flights free of charge - umbrella, camera, infant diaper bag, assistive devices, outer garments (e.g. coats, hats, and wraps), stroller, reading material, and food for the flight.​

http://spirit.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/771/related/1​

So it looks like you can take one carry on type bag and a small diaper bag free. If you bought a seat for your child, 2 carry on & 1 diaper bag. (maybe 2 diaper bag?). Though I suppose the less you have to deal with carry on with a child the better. I'd ship as much as possible down. We shipped a box for our last trip...13x13x13 from South Jersey and it cost around $12

As some pp stated, I still find that even with the extra fees, it is the least expensive flight for us.

They also charge for choosing your seat ahead of time, so if that matters to you, take into consideration for your budget.

 

[bearzabout]

I found a soft sided cooler that folds flat to use as a carryon. It is exactly the dimentions Spirit requires and weighs very little empty so I can load it up. It has a shoulder strap and is heavy duty so it works perfectly.

I try to never fly Spirit, but if I have to, this bag really works great as a carryon.