How Strict Is Spirit On Personal Item Size

Last Updated on December 5, 2020

The Spirit Airlines bare fare is often very cheap, but it only allows you to bring one personal item size bag.

The permitted personal item dimensions are eighteen x 14 x viii inches. Your bag should fit under the seat in front of you.

But how strict are Spirit in enforcing these rules? If your personal particular is one inch also big will at that place exist any trouble?

Permit'south dig a petty deeper to discover out if Spirit are like shooting fish in a barrel-going or precise with their permitted bag dimensions.

Why Spirit Is Strict With Their Comport On Policy

Spirit doesn't make a lot of money on their fares. Their pricing policy is to keep ticket prices very low simply to make as much turn a profit equally possible on the optional added extras.

In fact, almost 50% of Spirit's acquirement comes from these additional charges, and almost of their turn a profit is from coincident revenue or not-ticket acquirement.

It stands to reason that since Spirit isn't profiting much from the flights they will exist more strict in enforcing the rules where they can make some coin.

Spirit prefers to lure passengers in with a cheap flight and so turn a profit from their artificially inflated prices for civilities.

Information technology's a chip like selling you a hot dog for 25 cents, assuasive you half a teaspoon of ketchup, but if you desire more ketchup, mustard, onions, or any it will cost you lot an boosted $five.

In other words, Spirit are a flake sneaky with their pricing. They are playing a game.

So Spirit is very strict about personal item dimensions. They need to be. This is how they brand their money and stay in concern.

They even admit themselves that they are "pretty strict":

In some ways, this is good news. Information technology means if you learn to pack lite you can beat the arrangement and fly for inexpensive!

If you similar cheap hot dogs with no toppings you can outsmart Spirit, avoid their pricing traps and pay less to travel.

Simply if you don't read the Spirit deport on policy before you fly this tin happen:

Every cent of that $65 is pure turn a profit. It costs nothing for Spirit to allow you bring larger carry on pocketbook. The more passengers they can catch with oversize bags the more coin they make.

Exercise They Measure Your Personal Item On Spirit Airlines?

They don't measure out everyone's bag.

To measure out every bag would cause delays and they'd demand to utilize more staff.

Employees pick and choose when to measure a pocketbook and it can experience unfair sometimes:

Arianne says "They have people that actually walk their boarding lines to measure friggin carry on suitcases. And then if people can't pay immediately they are refused boarding."

That sounds pretty strict to me!

Only "strict" doesn't automatically mean unfair.

If yous measure your bag and it's within the size limits you won't have any bug.

But let'due south be honest what you really want to know is…

Can I go abroad with it?

Well mayhap… but look at what happened with Kelly:

Kelly flew with Spirit many times and got away with her pocketbook dimensions.

In her view, the purse met the standards but once she was challenged and in Spirit's eyes information technology didn't meet the standards.

And then exercise you similar to gamble or practice you like to play it safe?

What happens if your Spirit personal item is one inch too big?

If you are selected for bag measurement you can expect Spirit to be pretty rigid and inflexible.

John got hit with a $65 charge to gate check a purse considering his wheels wouldn't fit in the container.

And then if you try to board a Spirit flight with an oversize personal particular they will accuse you $65. In that location are no exceptions.

The same happened with Iqra and her baggage:

You need to know the luggage rules when flying Spirit. Wheels do count when measuring!

Spirit flights are cheap to get you lot in the arrangement. In one case you are in the arrangement you tin can bet your ass they are going to endeavour to squeeze more dollars out of you.

On average Spirit manage to get $55 extra out of every passenger. They're coming for y'all also!

So for example, did you lot realize that yous tin can't take your personal item and your purse? That's two numberless and yous're only permitted one.

FAQ'southward

My bag is slightly too big should I risk it?

No, don't risk it with Spirit. They will come afterward you and take your money. Their gate agents sniff out over-sized bags like pigs rooting for truffles. Dem da rules!

Is a backpack considered a personal detail on Spirit?

It depends on the size of the backpack. You demand to mensurate it. If information technology's nether the 18 x 14 10 8 limit then you will be proficient to become.

How do you pack a purse for Spirit Airlines?

You lot need to pack light if y'all don't want to pay extra for a larger comport-on or to bring a checked bag.

What'southward the maximum weight of a Spirit personal detail?

In that location is no maximum weight limit for personal items or acquit-on numberless. The weight limit for checked bags is 40 lbs. This is 10 lbs less than the manufacture average.

The Bottom Line

The free blank fare bear on bag is pretty pocket-size compared to other airlines carry on purse limits.

Spirit Airlines depends on catching oversize numberless to generate profits. I would never have my chances with an oversize bag when flying Spirit.

If you do think your bag is likewise large so the sooner you book the larger carry-on the cheaper it will exist. The cheapest time to volume a carry-on or checked purse with Spirit is when you buy the ticket.

Don't accept any risks with Spirit about luggage sizes. Yous volition probably finish up regretting it.

Simply earlier you lot get badmouthing Spirit airlines. They're not the but airline getting strict about luggage sizes for profit.

United Basic Economy has even more strict rules than Spirit!

This is the future. Many airlines are starting to re-create Spirit'southward pricing model and strict rules. So watch out whoever you are flying with!