Spirit Airways Carries On with Contested Carry-On Fees

by  Dana Harris | Aug 2, 2010
Spirit Airlines airplane
Spirit Airlines airplane / Boarding1Now/iStock

Doomsday for passengers looking to outmaneuver the airline industry’s flurry of new fees has arrived: After announcing its plans to instill a carry-on baggage charge back in April, Spirit Airlines’ dreaded new fees are officially in full effect as of August 1. Though passengers are still entitled to bring aboard one small bag (equivalent in size to a small backpack) free of charge (as well as a few additional items such as umbrellas, cameras, and strollers), any baggage that needs to be stored overhead (limited to one per seat) will run $30 (members of Spirit’s “$9 Fare Club” can carry on for $20) with advance online or over-the-phone booking – or a steeper $45 for bookings made at the gate. With the first checked bag costing $25 for domestic and $30 for international flights, this policy is reversing standard thinking du jour, actually making it more cost-effective in most cases to check your bags when flying Spirit.

Savvy Flyers: Though Spirit Airlines’ flights remain among the cheapest  out there, will these new carry-on fees deter you from traveling with them?

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