Bag Fees - Crazy?!
Mar 31, 2023, 9:31 am
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,208
Bag Fees - Crazy?!
I haven't looked at a Spirit ticket in a while (since, you know, friends don't let friends fly Spirit) but was just curious to compare pricing to other airlines.
Yeah their base ticket prices are a little better, but the bag fees are absolutely insane. Seriously, 55-75 and higher for a carry on or checked bag each way? And it varies based on the flight date/schedule etc.
Why does anyone actually fly this airline? It is cheaper to ship your luggage than paying them the exorbitant bag fees that are often more then the ticket price, and their customer service is abysmal if there are any issues or disruptions.
Yeah their base ticket prices are a little better, but the bag fees are absolutely insane. Seriously, 55-75 and higher for a carry on or checked bag each way? And it varies based on the flight date/schedule etc.
Why does anyone actually fly this airline? It is cheaper to ship your luggage than paying them the exorbitant bag fees that are often more then the ticket price, and their customer service is abysmal if there are any issues or disruptions.
Mar 31, 2023, 4:39 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
I haven't looked at a Spirit ticket in a while (since, you know, friends don't let friends fly Spirit) but was just curious to compare pricing to other airlines.
Yeah their base ticket prices are a little better, but the bag fees are absolutely insane. Seriously, 55-75 and higher for a carry on or checked bag each way? And it varies based on the flight date/schedule etc.
Why does anyone actually fly this airline? It is cheaper to ship your luggage than paying them the exorbitant bag fees that are often more then the ticket price, and their customer service is abysmal if there are any issues or disruptions.
Yeah their base ticket prices are a little better, but the bag fees are absolutely insane. Seriously, 55-75 and higher for a carry on or checked bag each way? And it varies based on the flight date/schedule etc.
Why does anyone actually fly this airline? It is cheaper to ship your luggage than paying them the exorbitant bag fees that are often more then the ticket price, and their customer service is abysmal if there are any issues or disruptions.
Mar 31, 2023, 6:02 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: TOL
Posts: 749
Not everyone needs a bag. You can fit the essentials in a personal item for free. Or if multiple people are traveling together, you can fit a lot of stuff for multiple people in a 40 lb. checked bag. Or like you said ship your belongings. Like anything else, it makes sense for some people and not so much for others.
Mar 31, 2023, 9:52 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: KUSA
Programs: Whatever AMEX Plat comes with... I buy on price.. Spirit Big Front Seat, want First/buy First
Posts: 1,490
I haven't looked at a Spirit ticket in a while (since, you know, friends don't let friends fly Spirit) but was just curious to compare pricing to other airlines.
Yeah their base ticket prices are a little better, but the bag fees are absolutely insane. Seriously, 55-75 and higher for a carry on or checked bag each way? And it varies based on the flight date/schedule etc.
Why does anyone actually fly this airline? It is cheaper to ship your luggage than paying them the exorbitant bag fees that are often more then the ticket price, and their customer service is abysmal if there are any issues or disruptions.
Yeah their base ticket prices are a little better, but the bag fees are absolutely insane. Seriously, 55-75 and higher for a carry on or checked bag each way? And it varies based on the flight date/schedule etc.
Why does anyone actually fly this airline? It is cheaper to ship your luggage than paying them the exorbitant bag fees that are often more then the ticket price, and their customer service is abysmal if there are any issues or disruptions.
Apr 1, 2023, 8:44 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
If you need to take a bunch of bags, it isn't the airline for you. Then again, I have Gold status so I don't have to pay for the first bag... But I fly them because I can go back and forth to Florida once a week for $31 all in including tax with just my backpack, and for another $100 round trip sit in a Big Front Seat.
Apr 1, 2023, 9:04 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: KUSA
Programs: Whatever AMEX Plat comes with... I buy on price.. Spirit Big Front Seat, want First/buy First
Posts: 1,490
Apr 7, 2023, 7:56 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Nectar Card
Posts: 1,093
Apr 13, 2023, 8:35 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry
Posts: 2,877
Just because a fee is high does NOT mean the overall price is still not attractive. People are so obsessed over "nickle and dimes" that they will pay more overall. Just booked a round-trip flight, with 1 bag, with my other half for $350 total. We can share the luggage and pack the rest in a carryon just fine. Not only this, but it was a perfectly timed direct-flight. The competition wasn't even close.
Apr 17, 2023, 4:42 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 19
I have a SWA CP and it is often still cheaper for me and my daughter to fly spirit with bags and seats than fly SWA these days. We usually share one bag if we need one at all. But now I have gold thanks to the status match, so it will probably beat out SWA everytime.
Apr 19, 2023, 1:49 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Nectar Card
Posts: 1,093
I too have noticed that on routes I fly, Southwest has become a lot more expensive across a wide variety of seasons and days of the week. Just the market at work I suppose.