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Spirit Airlines Credit Card Now Offers Two Free Checked Bags: Is the $79 Annual Fee Worth It?
July 1, 2025

What's New with the Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard
The Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard, issued by Bank of America, now allows primary cardholders to check two bags for free on every Spirit flight booked with the card. Previously one of the airline industry's most restrictive carriers when it came to free luggage, Spirit typically charges $35-$65 per checked bag, depending on when you pay.
The math is simple: With just two round-trip flights requiring checked bags, this card could pay for itself several times over.
Breaking Down the Value Proposition
Annual Fee: $79
Checked Bag Fees You'll Avoid: Spirit typically charges between $35-$65 per checked bag (lower if you pay during booking, higher at the gate). At an average of $45 per bag, you're looking at $90 in savings per round trip with two checked bags.
Break-even point: Essentially one round-trip flight with checked luggage, or two one-way flights.
Additional Perks That Sweeten the Deal
Beyond free checked bags, the Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard includes:
- Priority check-in and boarding
- Complimentary space-available upgrades to Premium Economy and Spirit First class
- 25% rebate on in-flight purchases when you use the card for food and drinks
- Flexible bag options – Your free checked bags can include sports equipment like golf clubs, skis, and snowboards
Important Fine Print to Know
To qualify for the free checked bag benefit:
- You must be the primary cardholder
- Flights must be booked on Spirit's website or mobile app
- Standard bag size and weight requirements still apply
- The benefit applies per flight, not per passenger
Should You Actually Get This Card? Let Your Spending Decide
Here's the thing: general advice about credit cards only gets you so far. Whether the Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard makes sense for you depends entirely on how often you fly Spirit and whether you check bags.
This is where most people make expensive mistakes. They apply for cards based on generic recommendations without knowing if the card actually fits their spending habits.
Test Drive This Card (And 3,000+ Others) Before You Apply
Instead of guessing, you can now see exactly how much the Spirit card - or any other travel card - would earn you before you submit a single application.
With Kudos' Test Drive feature, you can:
- See your potential earnings based on your real spending data, not hypothetical scenarios
- Compare the Spirit card against other airline and travel cards side-by-side
- Calculate the net value after the $79 annual fee to see if it truly pays for itself
- Test drive 3,000+ cards to find better alternatives you might have missed
- Make confident decisions without affecting your credit score (no hard pulls)
The best part? It takes less than 60 seconds to get personalized results for any card you're considering.
Want to see if the Spirit card beats other options? Test drive this card in your wallet and compare it against cards from Southwest, JetBlue, and other airlines that might offer better value for your specific travel patterns
Traditional Advice: Is This Card Right for You?
This card makes sense if you:
- Fly Spirit at least twice per year with checked bags
- Value priority boarding and potential upgrades
- Want to maximize savings on a budget airline
- Regularly travel to Spirit's hub cities
Skip this card if you:
- Rarely check bags or travel carry-on only
- Fly Spirit once a year or less
- Prefer airlines with more generous free baggage policies
- Are concerned about Spirit's financial stability and route network
The Elephant in the Cabin: Spirit's Financial Troubles
It's worth noting that Spirit announced this perk on the same day it revealed plans to furlough approximately 1,800 flight attendants—a stark reminder of the carrier's ongoing financial struggles. The airline filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than a year after its previous reorganization failed.
While Spirit maintains its operating as usual, potential cardholders should consider whether they're comfortable earning benefits with an airline facing significant uncertainty.
The Bottom Line
For frequent Spirit flyers who regularly check bags, the Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard offers legitimate value that far exceeds its $79 annual fee. The two free checked bags alone could save you hundreds of dollars annually.
However, the card's value is entirely dependent on Spirit's continued operation and your willingness to fly with them. If you're already committed to the Spirit experience (or lack thereof), this card could be a smart addition to your wallet. Just don't expect it to make the airline's notoriously tight seats any more comfortable.
But here's the smarter move: Before applying to any card based on general advice, test drive it with your real spending data. You might discover that a different airline card, a general travel card, or even a cash-back card earns you significantly more based on how you actually spend money.
Stop leaving money on the table. Test drive the Spirit card and compare your options to see which card truly maximizes your rewards…before you apply
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.