Loading page
United StatesNoneFree SpiritUS Low-Cost & Ultra-Low-Cost
Spirit Airlines is the archetypal US ultra-low-cost carrier. The advertised fare buys a seat and a personal item and nothing else — every other element is priced separately. Understood correctly it can be the cheapest way to fly a US domestic route; understood incorrectly it becomes more expensive than a legacy carrier once bags and seats are added at the airport.
Key Travel Facts & Insights
Detailed answers on the ten things travellers ask most after booking.
A full-size carry-on is NOT included in the base Go fare and must be purchased. The price rises at every step: cheapest during booking, more at online check-in, more at the airport counter, and most at the gate. Buying at booking is the single biggest money-saver on Spirit.
Full baggage rulesChanges and cancellations carry a fee that decreases the further out you are from departure and reaches zero beyond a published threshold. Free Spirit Gold members and bundled fares may have the fee waived.
How to change a flight24 hours before departure. Checking in online is important on Spirit because airport counter check-in carries a fee at many stations. 45 minutes before departure.
Check-in and boarding cutoffsPoints expire after a period of account inactivity; any qualifying activity resets it.
Loyalty programme guide| Fare | Includes | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Go | A seat and one personal item. | Everything else — carry-on, checked bag, seat assignment, refreshment — is charged separately. |
| Go Savvy | Bundles a carry-on or checked bag plus a seat assignment. | Still no complimentary refreshment or changes without fare difference. |
| Go Comfy | A blocked middle seat, carry-on, checked bag, seat assignment and snack. | The blocked middle seat is the product — the seat itself is unchanged. |
| Go Big | A Big Front Seat, two bags, priority boarding and refreshments. | The Big Front Seat is a wider recliner, not a business class product — no lounge, no lie-flat. |
An all-Airbus A320-family fleet configured at high density, which is what makes the base fares possible.
Spirit prices bags dynamically and raises the price at every stage: booking, online check-in, airport counter, then gate. The gate price can be several times the booking price. Buy every bag you need at the moment you book — this is the single largest avoidable cost on Spirit.
40 lbs, not the 50 lbs used by most US carriers. That ten-pound difference is the most common source of surprise overweight charges on Spirit.
No. Spirit does not offer an unaccompanied minor programme at all. Anyone under 15 must be accompanied by a passenger aged 15 or older. There is no fee that unlocks this.
We confirm live fares, seat availability and the exact baggage and change rules attached to your fare before you pay — then stay with you through any change, cancellation or claim.