Want to really get into the spirit when it comes to flying with Spirit Airlines? Let’s talk about how to make flying with Spirit Airlines as good as possible. The reality is that nobody is going to roll out a red carpet for you when you book a really cheap airline ticket. Of course, many people are happy to skip short-term, fleeting travel perks for the sake of keeping more money in their pockets. The thing to know is that extra fees have a habit of popping up everywhere when you fly with a budget carrier that’s famous for offering zero perks or extras! Knowing a few tips and tricks for nailing your upcoming Spirit flight can help you save money and avoid agitation. Take a look at five tips to know, love and live by when flying with Spirit!
Be Baggage Savvy
Don’t let last-minute bag fees cause you to totally blow your travel budget. After all, doing without frills on a flight won’t be worth the suffering if you end up paying the equivalent of what you’ve saved in baggage fees! The big thing to know is that Spirit does not include any luggage in the base allowance for Bare Fares. You can’t even bring along a carry-on bag without paying extra! Spirit also does something interesting by increasing baggage fees as you get closer to your departure. That means that you’ll want to make plans for your baggage as early as possible. Spirit provides several options for doing this. You can add a bag when you view your reservation on the Spirit Airlines website, take care of it via the Spirit Airlines app or call the Spirit Airlines call center.
Be prepared for the fact that you’ll need to deal with a pretty restrictive baggage policy even if you do decide to check a bag. Spirit’s maximum allowed baggage weight is 40 pounds. You will be charged quite a bit extra if your bag weighs more. In fact, Spirit’s fees for large bags go as high as $100! That means you need to weigh your bag before you get to the airport if you’re catching a Spirit flight! You will also need to check your carry-on bag as luggage if it is over Spirit’s size limit for carry-on items. The good news is that Spirit spells out everything you need to know in terms of bag size and restrictions on its website.
Board Last
Being courteous can pay off when it comes to letting other passengers go in front of you at boarding time. Actually paying money for a seat assignment on a Spirit flight is a real bummer if the goal is to get through a trip while spending as little as possible. Why not take the gamble of boarding last to see if you can snag a seat all by yourself if you crave space and privacy while flying?
Eat Before You Board
We really mean it when we say that there are no free lunches when trying to snag cheap travel using a Spirit ticket. Spirit famously doesn’t offer any complimentary beverages or snacks on its flights. However, Spirit does offer the option to purchase food and drinks using your debit or credit card during a flight. This can be dangerous for your travel budget if you’re prone to sudden snack attacks or low blood sugar! Spirit charges between $1 and $15 for the snack items on its menu. Do yourself a favor by simply eating before your flight to make sure you don’t end up with overpriced peanuts and soda. You can also bring along a snack or drink that meets TSA requirements. Some Spirit passengers actually just bring along empty water bottles that can be filled up after passing through security.
Bring Your Own Entertainment
You don’t have to twiddle your thumbs during your entire Spirit flight just because the airline doesn’t provide free entertainment. Streaming options for Spirit’s Wi-Fi start at $6.50. You can keep those extra dollars in your pocket by simply downloading some shows, movies or audiobooks to your personal device before boarding your plane. May we also suggest simply using the excuse of saving money to unplug and get some rest?
Print Your Own Boarding Pass
All of the tips above will save you money when flying with Spirit. However, there’s one big tip to remember before you run out the door to catch your flight! In fact, you’re going to be kicking yourself if you miss this one. Spirit will charge you $10 if you ask to have a boarding pass provided to you when you show up at the check-in counter. You can easily just complete the check-in process and print your boarding pass from home for free!
Fly Happy on a Budget
We’ve talked a lot about how to prepare yourself for all of the ways that Spirit is lacking. However, it’s important to know and remember that flying with Spirit really can be a great thing if you’d like to travel cheaply. Spirit’s bare-bones philosophy for keeping prices low simply isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. That’s especially true for anyone who would like to actually be given a cup of tea during a flight! However, you really can get to many great places for close to nothing when you fly with Spirit. One bright spot about flying with Spirit is that the carrier is building up quite a substantial network of cities. Spirit has even improved its on-time performance drastically in recent years! Realistic expectations and careful preparation are everything when it comes to flying happily with Spirit Airlines.
Source: frugal travel guy