Spirit Airlines announced April 6 that it will charge passengers for carry-on bags starting August 1. Several airlines have started charging for all checked bags, but Spirit will be the first to make passengers pay to bring luggage on board. The question is whether other airlines will follow.
Airfarewatchdog.com president George Hobica says Spirit's planes will load faster if people don't bring carry-ons. "The carry-on fees are actually higher than checked bag fees now on Spirit, so apparently Spirit is trying to get people not to bring carry-ons," he says.
Spirit will charge $45 for carry-ons, or $30 if you register your bag online or by phone. Spirit charges $25 for the first checked bag and raised the fee on a second checked bag to $45 from $25.
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If you frequently fly on Spirit Airlines -- or if other airlines start charging for carry-ons -- consider shipping your luggage to save money. In some cases it costs less to send your bags to your destination by FedEx or UPS. See Save Money by Shipping Your Luggage for details.
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