6 Ways to Maximize Your Savings When Flying Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines is the perfect airline for those who love to save money. Why fly other airlines that charge you for bags, food, and other services you aren’t even using? Rather than spending your vacation dollars on getting to your destination spend it on activities at your destination!

On average my family of four saves a minimum of $160 each time we fly Spirit Airlines and it’s been as much as $1,000! With the major improvements they’ve made with their on-time performance I will continue to choose them over other airlines. They are a huge part in how we’re able to take 6-8 vacations a year. I’ll admit my first time flying Spirit I didn’t understand their rules, costing me money. Now that I know better I want to make sure you do too. Here are 6 ways to maximize your savings when flying Spirit Airlines

Buy Your Spirit Airlines Plane Ticket at the Airport

You can save $19 on one-way tickets or $38 round-trip by purchasing your ticket at Spirit’s counter at the airport. For a family of four it makes your total cost $152 cheaper and well worth the drive to the airport. Go with someone and have them drive around to avoid paying for parking.

It’s important to note is that if you are checking a bag you will not be able to get the cheapest bag price when booking at the airport. Instead of the price offered when booking online you will have to pay the fee offered when checking-in online but before paying at the airport the day of your flight. As the bags are $10 cheaper when bought when booking if you are checking bags this additional fee could eat into your savings of buying your plane ticket at the airport.

Pack Light and Buy a Spirit Approved Personal Bag Which Flies Free

The first time I flew Spirit to Aruba I was like many that don’t read the Spirit rules. I got mad because I felt like I was being overcharged and not saving money even though I booked a budget airline. Honestly I just assumed Spirit’s personal sized bag was super tiny. Really there was no way it could fit both my 3 year old daughter and I’s clothing for our 4 day trip, right?

I paid for a carry on bag and then got to the airport to see my mom with a bag she fit all her stuff in that she said she didn’t pay for. It was the size of their free personal item and it was a lot bigger than I imagined. I felt cheated out of my money but it was my own fault for not reading. For our next flight with Spirit I was prepared! I found the perfect bag that met their personal item size restrictions of 18x14x8. I was able to fit all my clothes for our 7 day trip to Costa Rica. Here’s a video of what I packed and how I fit it in the bag.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Light Packing Tips

Don’t Pay for Seats on Spirit Airlines

Selecting your seats in advance will cost you a minimum of $5 with some seats costing as much as $24. Instead of choosing your seat let Spirit assign you one at check-in. While this could be a gamble when flying with kids my family has only been assigned seats away from each other once. When we arrived to the airport I let the gate agent know and she relocated us with no hassle, the airlines really don’t want a 3 year old sitting in a different row from their parents.

Check-In Online

Spirit charges you $10 per person to check-in and get your boarding pass at the ticket counter. There are three ways to avoid this fee:

1. Download the Spirit App for Android or Apple to check-in. The app allows you to get your boarding pass directly in the app. Just have TSA and the gate agent scan the QR code and you’re set.
2. Check in online and print your boarding pass.
3. Check in online and have your boarding pass emailed to you. You’ll scan the QR code at TSA and at the gate to get through.

For the options that allow you to scan the QR code be sure to take a screenshot your code.  This is incase there is no service at the airport and you can’t get into the app or access your email. It’s always better to be safe than sorry especially when a malfunction like that can cost you $10 per person.

Bring Your Own Snacks on the Plane

One complaint I hear often about Spirit Airlines is that they don’t offer free drinks and snacks. Honestly I’d rather save $100+ on my plane ticket than get a small bag of pretzels and drink that is halfway filled with ice. Instead of ordering food/drinks on board bring your own. It’s really easy to throw a homemade sandwich and snacks in your bag and they are allowed through TSA. For drinks, bring an empty water bottle and fill it up once you pass security, many airports have filtered water stations.

Bring Your Own Entertainment

While Spirit doesn’t offer in-flight entertainment yet their planes will soon offer WiFi for a fee. Instead you can bring your laptop or iPad to keep you and your kids busy. Download apps and games that don’t require WiFi to keep you busy. If you have a Netflix account you can also download movies and TV shows ahead of time to watch on the plane. One thing I always travel with is my portable charger to keep my electronics charged in flight.

Spirit Airlines has afforded my family the opportunity to do more things in the destinations we travel too and travel more since we save so much money booking with Spirit vs. other airlines. I hope you’ve learned some other ways to save even when choosing Spirit Airlines.

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