2 Airlines Hike Baggage Fees for the Holidays

Two airlines will hike baggage fees this holiday season.

Spirit Airlines is again wishing its customers a merry Christmas and a happy new year with higher baggage fees. This is the second year that the budget carrier has instituted the festive hikes, FareCompare reports.

This year is different, though, in that Spirit has company from another airline. Frontier is one-upping Spirit with more hikes during additional time periods.

Spirit Airlines

Spirit is raising fees for the first checked bag by $2 each way for standard-size luggage, according to FareCompare. This hike is in effect for flights from Dec. 16 to Jan. 4.

Spirit also charges a fee for carrying on more than one bag, but that fee has not been hiked.

A Spirit spokesman tells FareCompare that the seasonal fee hikes reflect that fact that Christmas and New Year’s are “a very high-demand period for Spirit.”

Spirit’s website advises passengers who know they’ll need to carry on or check bags to pay for their bags when they book their flight, as this can “save major moola.”

Frontier Airlines

Frontier is raising several fees, according to fine print on its website:

• First checked bag: Additional $5 on Frontier’s website, at booking and up to 24 hours before departure; $10 at call center, Web check-in, and airport kiosks or ticket counters.
• Second checked bag: Additional $10.
• Carry-on bag: Additional $5 at booking and up to 24 hours before departure; $10 at Web check-in; $5 at airport kiosks or ticket counters.

In addition to raising more fees than Spirit, Frontier is raising them for additional periods of time that extend well into 2016:

• Nov. 19 – Jan. 5
• Feb. 11 – April 4
• June 9 – Aug. 16

To learn about how you can shield yourself from luggage rates, don’t miss “10 Tips to Save on Baggage Fees.”

How do you feel about airlines that take advantage of the high-traffic holiday season by raising rates? Do you think this trend will catch on with more airlines? Sound off in our Forums. It’s the place where you can speak your mind, explore topics in-depth, and post questions and get answers.