Carry-on baggage fee will soon cost some Spirit Airlines passengers $100, which is more than they may have paid for their flight.
The Miramar, Florida, airline currently charges $45 at the gate for a carry-on bag.
As of November 6, just days before Thanksgiving, customers who wait to pay the carry-on baggage fee at the boarding gate will have to fork over $100.
Any bag that needs to fit in the overhead bin is considered a carry-on.
Luckily, a small bag that fits under the seat is still free.
The price for a carry-on bought at an airport kiosk will increase to $50 from $40.
Larger pieces of luggage checked at the airport will cost between $8 and $10 more, while the fee for bags checked online will rise by between $2 and $5.
Spirit Airlines will also increase a handful of other fees by between $2 and $10.
Spirit is one of two airlines that charge for carry-ons; Allegiant is the other.
In the first quarter, Spirit’s average revenue from fees per passenger on a round-trip flight topped $100 for the first time.
“Despite achieving among the best first quarter results in the industry, we will not relax our vigilance toward further improving our cost structure,” Ted Christie, Spirit’s Chief Financial Officer said in a statement on May 1.
He said that Spirit would have to make certain adjustments to remain profitable.
“However, we must remain focused on offsetting cost headwinds, including rising jet fuel prices and aircraft maintenance expenses, in order to maintain our competitive advantage.”
