The Dirty Truth About Spirit Airline Infant Policy
Planning your first family trip with the baby? Understanding the Spirit Airline infant policy can make your journey a whole lot smoother.
And mama, you can count on me to give it to you straight… No chaser.
Throughout this post the key thing to remember is “You Get What You Pay For”
This post is all about Spirit Airline Infant Policy
The thought of flying with an infant can be nerve-wracking. Trust me… I feel your pain. Been there and done that. But….In this blog post, we’ll dive into all the dirty truths and everything else you need to know about traveling with your baby on Spirit Airlines.
From booking your tickets to what to expect on board, we’ve got you covered.
Similar post: Stress-free travel guide
Additional Resources: Spirit Airline Customer Service Page: Traveling With Children
Detailed List of Spirit Airline Infant Policy
Disclaimer: As of Sept 2023 – The details on this list are directly from the policy found on Spirit Airline website. These policies are subject to be changed without notice. Hence, the information may be outdated. Do your due diligence and check the policy located here.
- Your baby must be 7 days old to fly spirit.
- Infant and toddlers under the age of 2, may fly as a lap child.
- A seat must be bought for the return travel if a child turns two between the departure and return flights.
- Spirit reserves the right to request documented proof of age for any traveler 2 years old or younger. (So bring the birth certificate)
- Only one lap child is allowed per guest 15 years of age or older.
- An infant requiring an incubator or other life-support system, cannot be accepted for travel and will be denied boarding. (the Spirit airline infant policy is not clear on what is considered a life-supporting system, so call the airline prior to booking)
- Per policy, infants are not allowed to be in the emergency exit rows or in the row in front or behind the emergency exit row.
- The policy states that Infants in car seats are not permitted to occupy a seat equipped with an inflatable seatbelt.
Inconvenient Things From Spirit Airline Infant Policy
- Before being issued a boarding ticket, you must show the infant’s birth certificate at the counter. In the digital age this is super inconvenient. Especially since Spirit airline usually has pretty long lines from those Cancun vacationers seeking to check their bags last minute. So get to the airport extra early.
- If you have two small children or twin infants, Spirit will only allow one stroller and one car seat to be checked in for free. If you have a double stroller that is great! But, what about car seats? This is a super turn off for traveling families.
- You can only bring a car seat onboard if you purchased a seat or verified with the gate agent that you have an extra seat next to you.
- Car seats that exceed the size of Spirit Airline seats are prohibited. Keep in mind that Spirit’s seats are fairly small compared to other commercial flights. FOR DIMENSIONS READ “Little To No Wiggle Room” BELOW
- Diaper bags are no charge. However, they must be within the personal item limits. Spirit’s policy regarding personal items are quite ridiculous. Your diaper bag must be the size of a small purse or backpack. As a traveling mom, you know that diapers alone take up most of the space in a diaper bag. That leaves very little room for anything else. I’ve attached the dimensions below.
Spirit Airline Seats That Infants Are NOT Allowed In
Pros and cons of flying with Spirit Airlines
It’s no military secret that Spirit is one of the top go-to airlines for cheap flights. For both domestic and international flights, prices range from the low $80 and up. However, in return for such low flight cost, you can bet there’s a catch.
Remember that old saying you’ve heard your parents say…
“You get what you pay for”
Well this is no different. And Spirit 100% abides by that notion…maybe even a little too much.
You will get almost nothing free with Spirit. The Spirit airline policy is notorious for racking up the fees for all the standard services you would normally get with any other airline flights.
Here are the pro’s and cons of booking spirit for a family trip. Based on Spirit Airline Infant Policy!
Little To No Wiggle Room
Spirit Airline Tips for traveling with an infant
Lap Infant vs. Separate Seat – Spirit Airline Infant policy
Spirit airline allows for any child up until age 2 to fly for free… the catch is.. they have to ride on your lap. Oh and you have check in with an agent first…
YEP! Super inconvenient. Can I or Can I not fly with my infant on my lap? It’s a simple question. Yet, on Spirit Airline infant policy FAQ page, they are super unclear. (Remember earlier when I mentioned that you have to show them the birth certificate first? Yep, this is why)
And now your thinking…
If I am allowed. How am I going to fly for several hours holding my baby? Listen, I don’t recommend it unless your child is able to sit up on their own. If you have a newborn or an infant that is on the smaller side of the age range, you might want to think about getting a separate seat. Particularly because you can house your baby in the car seat for the trip.
Separate seat with a car seat
Surprisingly, I’ve been lucky before and had an empty seat near me. This was perfect because I was able to convert my stroller (which I brought on board) and turned it into a car seat! What a great deal.
That stroller/car-seat duo is the best product you can have for traveling with an infant. You can read all about it here ⬇
Book your sear near the bathroom for For a long flights
Because, It might be more beneficial to book seats that are closest to the bathroom. This will be the best way to have efficient access to the bathroom for diaper changes.
Is it me or do airplane bathrooms creep you out too?
I personally try to avoid them at all cost…
In fact, when I recently flew spirit airline with my infant, I made sure we had a quick diaper change at the airport right before boarding our flight. This was enough since we had a 2 hour direct flight from Baltimore airport to Tampa. (Experts recommend that you change your newborn’s diaper every two to three hours)
If possible try to book your seat near a window
I know what your thinking…
Having the window seat is a great opportunity to showcase the great view to your baby.
But, what you’re not considering is..
It also serves as a source of entertainment. Especially, with suction toys. For instance, there are several cute suction toys I found on Amazon that allow for continuously entertainment. These toys suction to the window and grant you hours of peace on a plane.
Additionally, The window seat on spirit airline is nice to have because it allows you to be able to control the brightness when your child is sleeping.
Surprisingly, I made the mistake of getting an aisle seat on the plane for my first flight. And let me tell you… common sense and courtesy definitely did not match that day.
The passenger next to me on the flight kept the window shade completely open the entire flight as my son tried to get comfortable and sleep. The brightness from the window agitated him, to the point I had to ask for it to be shaded.
Basically, The point is if you have the window seat, brightness from the window is one less flight suitability check that you have to worry about.
The time of your flight matters If you are flying with an infant or newborn
Here’s something we both can agree on…
As moms, I think we all know how important our baby’s sleep schedule is and how sacred naps are. So that’s something we don’t want to mess up for a flight. I’ll save you from the lecture on that. .
Essentially, think about the timing of your flight. Try to book flights during your baby’s naptime or bedtime, so they are more likely to sleep during the journey. Red-eye flights can be a good option for this reason.
You want a direct flight NOT a connecting flight
Flying is hard and spirit airline infant policy doesn’t make it any better when you have a child on your lap.
Hence, why Direct flights are often more convenient when traveling with an infant. However, if a connecting flight is necessary, make sure you have enough time between flights to feed, and change your baby.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SPIRIT AIRLINE INFANT POLICY
Does Spirit charge for baby items?
Spirit Airline does not charge extra for a diaper bag carrying baby items. Diaper bags DO NOT count toward their one free personal item and one paid carry on. So, you are allowed to carry a diaper bag with baby items free of charge.
Does a diaper bag count as a carry-on?
Per Spirit airline infant policy, a diaper bag for a child younger than 2 years old, does not count as a carry-on when flying with Spirit. Additional bags or Items that are not stored in a diaper bag are subject to additional charges prior to boarding the flight.
What does an Infant need to fly Spirit Airlines?
These are the most popular things that moms bring to fly spirit airlines:
- Infant ear muffs
- Snacks in spill free containers
- Convertible Car seat stroller
- Suction toys
- Bungee Straps for bottles and cups
I’ve attached the most common go-to brands for these items below.
With spirit, Can I take car seat and stroller on plane?
Yes, you may take a car seat on a Spirit flight when you pay for an additional seat. However, strollers can be checked for free at the counter.
I hope this post gave you all the in’s, out’s and dirty details of everything you needed to know about Spirit Infant policy! overall, I would not consider Spirit a family friendly airline. But, try for yourself and let me know all about your experience in the comments below. See you next time!
This post just taught you about Spirit Airline Infant Policy
Maxed out pto,
Thanks for your engagement! You are 100% correct. All airlines have their own unique policy but this one in particular is the focus. Maybe I will do a follow up post with a few other airlines and their infant policy.