Putting A Price Tag on Your Second Bag :: United & Spirit Airlines

United Airlines fired the first salvo last week by announcing a $25 surcharge on any second piece of checked luggage. But if you’re bold enough to try to check a third or fourth bag, get ready to get a home equity loan to pay for the $100 fee per bag. Ouch! Read its Domestic Baggage Policy.

Now, Spirit Airlines, a low-cost, fast-growing, Florida-based airline, sees the logic of making checked bags another profit center. So effective February 20th, Spirit’s luggage fees will simply increase from $5 to $10 per checked piece of luggage if you reserve and pre-purchase it first on the airline’s Web site, but is increasing its fees from $10 to $20 if you check the luggage at the airport.
Read Spirit’s Pre-Purchased Checked Bags Policy.

By trying to eliminate checked baggage, airlines hope to burn less fuel, resulting in more cost savings. Stay tuned for how much airlines may soon charge for peanuts ($1?), a soda ($2?), or toilet paper (bring your own, just in case).

One Response to Putting A Price Tag on Your Second Bag :: United & Spirit Airlines

  1. Sue Frause says:

    I just read about United charging $25 a bag. Ridiculous! I know business people who swear by shipping their luggage ahead of them (Peter Greenberg being one of them). It may be cheaper … in the meantime, I’ll continue to try and pack lightly.

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