United StatesNoneFree SpiritUS Low-Cost & Ultra-Low-Cost
Spirit Airlines Overview & Policy Summary
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
- Carry-on: A full-size carry-on is NOT included in the base Go fare and must be purchased.
- First checked bag: Purchased separately, priced dynamically by route and demand, cheapest at the time of booking..
- Changes: Changes and cancellations carry a fee that decreases the further out you are from departure and reaches zero beyond a published threshold.
- Check-in: 24 hours before departure.
Spirit help topics
Detailed answers on the ten things travellers ask most after booking.
Spirit at a glance
Baggage
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
Changes 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 flightCheck-in
24 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 cutoffsFree Spirit
Points expire after a period of account inactivity; any qualifying activity resets it.
Loyalty programme guideSpirit fare types
| 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. |
Hubs
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- Orlando (MCO)
- Las Vegas (LAS)
- Detroit (DTW)
- Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
An all-Airbus A320-family fleet configured at high density, which is what makes the base fares possible.
Popular routes
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) → San Juan (SJU)
- Las Vegas (LAS) → Los Angeles (LAX)
- Orlando (MCO) → Detroit (DTW)
- Dallas (DFW) → Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
Spirit frequently asked questions
Why is my Spirit bag fee so expensive?
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.
What is the Spirit checked bag weight limit?
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.
Can a child fly alone 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.
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