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Our family is all about saving as much money as possible, and that is the reason why Spirit Airlines is one of our go to airlines.
We are able to travel often, but only on a budget, so flying Spirit Airlines and avoiding extra fees when flying is important to us. There are plenty of ways how to avoid Spirit Airlines fees and I am glad to share all of them with you.
What is Spirit Airlines?
Spirit Airlines is considered a low-cost carrier; meaning they offer unbeatable air airfare, but also charge for things that other airlines don’t charge for such as selecting a seat, traveling with luggage and in-flight meal service.
I like the fact that all these extras are optional with Spirit Airlines because sometimes I don’t want to select a seat, or travel with luggage or even want a snack on the plane.
I just want to pay the bare minimum and get to where I’m going. If you are still confused about how to avoid Spirit Airlines fees, then just eliminate the things that Spirit charges for.
When people hear Spirit Airlines, they automatically assume that even though they can get a cheap flight ticket, they’ll end up spending twice the amount in extra fees, but that’s wrong.
Figuring out how to avoid Spirit Airlines fees is the key to enjoy your flight experience. I have flown Spirit Airlines plenty of times by myself as well as with my family with zero issues to date.
Ways to Avoid Spirit Airlines Fees
Book Your Tickets At The Spirit Airlines Check in Counter
Even though Spirit Airlines is a low-cost carrier, purchasing a ticket on their website cost more. However, here’s a hack that you should consider if you live near the airport.
Go directly to the Spirit Airlines check in counter at your local airport and purchase your ticket there. You can save $19.99 on a one way ticket or $39.98 on a two way ticket when purchased at the Spirit Airlines check in counter.
I have tried this with other airlines and the price has been the same online and at the check in counter. However, when using the Spirit Airlines check in counter, tickets are cheaper.
Another airline that allows you to get tickets at the check in counter for much cheaper than the online advertised price is Frontier Airlines.
The only things you need when purchasing a ticket at the Spirit Airlines check-in counter are the names and date of birth of each passengers as well as a credit card. The Spirit Airlines check in counter no longer accepts cash.
Booking Spirit Airlines Pro Tip 1: Make sure to check preferred ticketing hours before heading to the airport, because ticket purchase times will vary by airport at each Spirit Airlines check in counter.
Booking Spirit Airlines Pro Tip 2: For the absolute cheapest tickets prices, and especially if you can’t make it to the airport, purchase your ticket from Skyscanner.
It is the best and my favorite app to search for ticket prices. Make sure to download the Skyscanner App also to track flight prices, book hotels and more.
Purchasing Spirit Airlines Seats
Spirit Airlines gives you the option to choose a seat for an extra charge when purchasing a ticket.
If you don’t care about seating arrangements on the plane, then you don’t have to worry about purchasing a seat and you’ll be assigned a random seat at check in.
This option can be a bit tricky when traveling as a family, and especially young children. If you don’t mind being separated from your family on the plane, then you can save money by skipping this option.
We flew as a family of six without purchasing Spirit Airlines seats, thankfully we were all assigned seats next to each other.
For those who want extra space, Spirit has big front seats which are similar to business class. I purchased one of those seats before and enjoyed a super comfortable flight.
Pro Tip: If you are not pleased with your seat assignment, make sure you get to the airport early, check in, head to the gate and talk to the gate agent. If there is an available seat, the gate agent should be able to move you around.
Spirit Personal Item Size
It is very important to make sure that you understand the Spirit Airline baggage fees and restrictions.
It is important to learn how to pack smart so that Spirit baggage fees does affect you. Spirit flights include a free personal item but not a free carry on baggage.
One personal item sized 18in X 14in X 8in is included with your ticket purchase which is the bare fare. This is the size of a small backpack, under the seat carry on or a laptop bag.
If your bag is bigger than any of the listed bags, then you will need to pay for it. Spirit baggage fees vary by route and date of travel, so they aren’t always the same all the time.
Spirit Airlines Baggage Fees
Traveling with a Spirit Airlines personal item is the best way to avoid paying extra fees. As you can see below my Spirit airlines personal item fit perfectly in the space provided.
If you absolutely have the best way to figure out the price of your Spirit is to check the Spirit Bag-O-Tron which will show you prices for a trip you want to book or a trip you have already booked.
Remember that any bag over 41lbs is considered overweight or over-sized and fees for this start from $30 and increased based on the weight of the bag.
Spirit Baggage Pro Tip: It is cheaper to pay for baggage on the Spirit website versus at the counter when you check in. So make sure to add your bags when you purchase your ticket or when you are checking in online.
Spirit Airlines Online Check In
The quickest and cheapest way to check in when flying Spirit Airlines is to so the Spirit Airlines check in online.
Waiting to check in at the airport will cost you $10. The $10 is actually charged to print each boarding pass, so if you have a family of four, checking in at the airport will cost you $40 to print 4 boarding passes total.
In order to avoid the spirit airlines check in fee, make sure to check in online. Don’t forget to print out your pass at home before you arrive at the airport.
If you don’t have access to a printer, then make sure to find a place to print one. Stop worrying about how to avoid Spirit Airlines fees and check-in online.
Spirit Check-In Pro Tip: Download the new Spirit Mobile App for an easier and faster way to check in online. Make sure you take a screen shot of your boarding pass.
You don’t even want to know how many times I’ve gotten to TSA and for one reason or the other can’t access my mobile boarding pass.
Pack Snack, Food & Drinks When Flying Spirit Airlines
Spirit airline charges for everything, and when I say everything I mean water also. You can see the Spirit Airlines menu here and how much each item costs. Food and drinks at the airport are very expensive and the good thing is, it is possible to carry snacks and food onto the plane.
Make sure to eat before your flight and pack a few snacks to take with you so that you don’t have to spend any money extra money. I usually pack food items such as chicken, rice, mixed nuts etc.
Pro Tip: Take an empty water bottle with you when traveling which can be filled with water at the airport. The airport has plenty of water filling stations just for this reason.
Inflight Entertainment On Spirit Airlines
There is no seat back entertainment on Spirit Airlines. This can make the flight super boring, however, as long as you are prepared you’ll be okay. Just make sure to purchase a few items for the kids from this list “How To Keep Kids Entertained On Flights” and you should be good to go.
If you have a tablet, make sure you have headphones also. Spirit plans to get Wi-Fi which will be installed on their entire fleet by Summer 2019. They plan to offer high speed web browsing and streaming options with prices starting at $5.50.
Pro Tip: A phone or tablet and Netflix is perfect for when an aircraft has no in-flight or seat-back entertainment. You can watch pre-downloaded shows without WiFi. There are also several free apps you can download on your tablet.
Other Ways To Save Money When Flying Spirit Airlines
Join The Spirit Airlines $9 Fare Club
The Spirit Airlines $9 fare club is another great way to save money when flying with Spirit Airlines.
It gives you the option to fly more with exclusive access to vacation packages and discounted fares, you can get up to 50% of baggage fees and also you can save more on all your travel on Spirit Airlines.
Pro Tip: The $9 fare club actually costs $59.95, but if you fly Spirit often, it’ll end up saying you more money in the long run.
Flying Spirit Airlines With Kids
Spirit Airlines is a very kid friendly airline. We’ve flown Spirit Airlines with kids plenty of times with no issues ever.
Flying Spirit Airlines With An Infant
When traveling with an infant on Spirit Airlines, you carry on board a diaper bag for free in addition to free personal item sized 18in X 14in X 8in (size of a small backpack, small travel back, under the seat carry on or a laptop bag). Infants under 2 travel free with a paid adult fare.
Spirit Airlines Car Seat And Stroller Policy
Spirit Airlines does not charge for a car seat or stroller, so if you are traveling with an infant, you are allowed to check in a stroller and car seat at the ticket counter or at the gate. If you have a paid seat for each child, then they are entitled to a car seat.
When checking in a stroller or car seat at the ticket counter or the gate, please ensure that you have a car seat bag or a stroller bag in order to protect your items from damage.
If you have purchased a seat for your child, then they can ride in the airplane in their car seat. Click here to read more about How To Fly With Kids And a Carseat, Everything You Need To Know.
No need to worry any more regarding how to avoid Spirit Airlines fees, simply follow the above tips and enjoy your flight journey within your budget.
Top Travel With Kids Tips
Traveling with kids and have a few questions you need answers to, these posts below will help your trip run smoothly.
- Best Travel Gear For Kids
- How To Travel With Kids Internationally Alone
- Top Must Have Items When Traveling With Kids
- Everything You Need To Know About Traveling With A Car Seat
