Airlines Without Free Bags
Traveling is expensive as it is. The holidays are even more expensive. Knowing which airlines allow a free carry on and knowing their policy upfront can help you save money. Spirit Airlines is one airline that offers competitively cheap flights especially during the holiday season. Spirit has a bad rap, and if you don’t know how to fly with them, it can seem like a really shitty airline to take. No free water, they will charge you to print out your boarding pass, no free peanuts, and especially no free carry on luggage. I have flown with them more than a dozen times and have perfected how to play their game. They fly almost everywhere, and when you need to save some money, they are the airline to use. I used them a few years back 3 weeks before a Chirstmas trip and saved hundreds of dollars. I’m here to tell you all the tips and tricks you will need so you won’t have to pay for luggage.
The Breakdown
This list is going to break down exactly what you need to do when flying with Spirit.
- After buying your tickets download the Spirit mobile app. If you have access to a printer, you can print out your tickets otherwise make sure you have them on your mobile app or a copy in your email. They will accept all of these versions. DO NOT go to the airport expecting them to print out your boarding pass for free. They will charge you for that.
- Spirit allows a free personal bag that must not exceed dimensions of 18 x 14 x 8 inches. I found a bag on Amazon that is within Spirits policy. This bag is only $12.99, and I highly recommend that you buy it. It has saved me hundreds of dollars in bag fees. My husband and I both have one. Click here to buy. It’s $30 one way for a single bag so you can do that math and see how smart of a buy this is.
- I have used this bag for so many trips, and it never fails to carry everything I need. Learning how to be a minimalist traveler is a smart trick to adapt to. Bring only what you need. I spent 4 days in New York and even brought back new shoes and gifts in this same bag. You can make it work. Roll those panties and jeans up as small/tightly as you can! I promise you will be impressed by how much this bag can hold!
- Ladies: stuff your purse into this bag when boarding your plane. I stuff my purse on top and zip it all up, and I can carry this bag on my shoulder so its an obvious “personal item.” I have never been stopped or questioned about my bag. It always fits (even if I have to smash it in) into their displayed box they have to make sure it passes as a personal item. It fits every time so there isn’t shit they can say! If it fits then it flys! FREE!
Bonus Tip!
- Pack an empty water bottle and some snacks. You can fill up your empty water bottle once you get through security. Spirit will not provide anything free on the plane, so bring some stuff to get you through your flight. Otherwise, you can always purchase items at the airport before you board. They offer food/drinks in flight but nothing, not even water, is free.
The Folding Bag That Will Save You Money!
I wanted to give you a visual of this bag so you could get an idea of exactly what it is. It’s a foldable duffle bag that is extremely lightweight. It folds into itself and turns into a small square that is great for storing! When unfolding this bag, it becomes large enough that you will be able to fit everything you need for your trip! We understand that if you are flying out of the country that you might need a little bit more than this bag can carry. Raynita will be doing a packing tutorial for out of the country trips. She is a pro at getting everything she needs into a roller carry on suitcase. Be on the lookout for that!




I hope you found this article helpful! I am all for saving a buck, and if it takes me flying Spirit sometimes then that’s what I’m gonna do! Now that you know what to expect and how to play their game I hope you will take this advice and save yourself some money. Traveling during the holidays is supposed to be fun and not more expensive then it needs to be! Happy traveling! For more traveling tips click here!
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