TL;DR:
- Spirit Airlines is pretty strict with its personal item size
- Spirit Airlines staff will check the dimensions of your personal item at the airport, so it’s important to stay within their size requirements
- I suggest you take a Spirit Airlines approved personal item to avoid any trouble, and read carefully the following guide to know all the regulations about Spirit’s personal item size policies and restrictions.
So, Is Spirit Airlines Really Strict About Personal Item Size?
Spirit Airlines’ personal item size is as follows:
18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm), including handles and wheels.
The personal item is included in your fare, and you can take it for free.
And it can be one of the following items: a purse, a small backpack, a laptop bag, or a duty-free item, etc.
Allowed Additional Items
In addition to your personal item, you are allowed to bring some necessary items such as:
- Mobility devices and medical equipment
- Diaper bags
- A coat or a jacket
For more information please visit this page on their website.
How Strict Is Spirit on Personal Item Size?
Spirit Airlines is slightly strict about its personal item size.
According to Spirit Airlines, passengers are allowed to have personal items with the following dimensions: 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm), including handles and wheels.
Any item that exceeds these dimensions will no longer considered a personal item. It will be considered your main carry-on bag, but if it is also bigger than the allowed carry-on it will be transferred as checked baggage.
However, you may notice that airline staff are sometimes lenient with some passengers carrying slightly larger personal items, especially on less crowded flights.
If that’s the case, you’re lucky you can bring your larger personal item onboard without any issues.
Just be polite with the airline staff and everything should go smoothly.
Airlines want to keep their customers happy, and they won’t always be strict if it’s just a few extra inches or pounds.
What If My Spirit Personal Item Is Oversized?
Here is what might happen if your personal item is oversized:
- The Spirit Airlines staff may let you take it onboard and nothing will happen.
- Or it will be counted as your main carry-on bag, and then you’ll have to pay for it.
If you try to sneak an oversized personal item, you could get caught at the boarding gate and pay a whopping $100.
If your bag is too big, you’ll have to pay an additional charge, and your personal item will be gate checked.
And probably for additional charges.
Obviously, Spirit is not one of the airlines that will always overlook a slightly oversized bag, because this is how they make their money.
At least, if it’s only a backpack or a soft-sided small suitcase, you may still be able to pad it down and demonstrate that it fits in the sizer (assuming it’s a soft-sided bag).
How to Take More in Your Personal Item?
There is a rule of thumb when it comes to limited luggage space: if you want to take everything within your carry-on, pack less and choose different items.
The best way to make the most of your free baggage allowance is to wear some of your heavier or bulky clothing as you go through the gate.
For example, wear a coat with deep pockets if you really want to maximize your allowance.
This will give you more room in your bag to pack essentials for your trip.
What Is the Best Personal Item Luggage for Spirit Airlines & Carry-On?
If you are looking for a good bag for your next trip that will fit Spirit Airlines’ carry-on and personal item requirements, check out one of these backpacks on TravelPro.
These backpacks are designed perfectly to fit under the seat or in the overhead bin.
Spirit Airlines Carry-on Policy
If you think you might struggle for space with your personal item, you might consider paying for an extra carry-on.
Paid carry-on baggage must be no more than 22 x 18 x 10 inches (56 x 46 x 25 cm), including handles and wheels.
It must fit into an overhead bin or under-seat space.
Spirit Airlines Liquids
Like all other airlines in the US, Spirit Airlines accepts liquids as long as they meet the proper requirements.
Liquids are allowed in your personal item in containers of less than 3.4 oz (100 ml).
They must be placed in a transparent quart-sized bag.
For more information, please read this post about how many ounces you can take on a plane, or head to this page on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website, which covers liquids, gels, and aerosols in greater detail.
Passengers Thoughts About Spirit Personal Item
This is a Reddit post for some travelers saying that Spirit airport staff don’t always check the bag size if you carry a soft backpack that fits under the seat.
Others say oversized bags sometimes get through without problems, but it depends on the airport.
Quora
I also found this Quora post where users discussed how strict Spirit Airlines can be with luggage in general.
One traveler said Fort Lauderdale (FLL) is very strict and may charge $100 if the bag doesn’t fit in the size checker.
Another pointed out that the personal item size (18” x 14” x 8”) is actually roomy, but Spirit enforces it tightly because they make money from baggage fees.
Final Thoughts: Is Spirit Strict About Personal Item Size?
To avoid any inconvenience or last minute surprises, make sure you have a compliant bag that is within Spirit Airlines’ personal item size.
If you want to take more, you can always pay for a carry-on bag, or try wearing some extra layers as you go through the gate.
That said, if you’ve already got a soft-sided bag or a backpack that is just a bit over the allowed size, you probably won’t face any issues.
If after reading this you think it might be wise to pay for checked bags, then please check out Spirit Airlines’ check-in page on their website.
Simply type in your booking reference, enter your last name, and you’ll be able to see the allowance per person, costs, and other details.
I hope this helps
Happy travels
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