Spirit Airlines Check-in
Whether you’re using your mobile device or prefer the good old airport check-in option, this website has you fully covered on Spirit’s check-in process. View all the check-in options available to you—along with the check-in starting and closing times.
Spirit Airlines Check-in Methods
How do I check in for a Spirit Airlines flight?
Checking in for a Spirit Airlines flight is quick and easy. There are several options available, including online check-in, mobile check-in, airport kiosk check-in, and checking in with an agent at the airport counter.
You can check in for your Spirit Airlines flight:
- Via the website
- Via the mobile app
- At the airport check-in kiosk
- At the airport counter
Spirit Airlines Check-in Times
You should reach the airport at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure time for domestic Spirit Airlines flights and 3 hours before the scheduled departure time for international Spirit flights. You should have your boarding pass at least 45 minutes before departure for a domestic flight and at least 60 minutes before departure for an international or a U.S.V.I. flight, or your reservation may be canceled.
- Spirit Airlines Online Check-in Time | Mobile Check-in Time
You can check in online from 24 hours to 60 minutes before departure.
Remember
You should already have obtained your boarding pass and dropped your bags:
- At least 45 minutes prior to departure for a domestic Spirit Airlines flight (within the United States).
- At least 60 minutes prior to departure for an international Spirit Airlines flight (and a U.S.V.I flight).
- Spirit Airlines Self-Service Kiosk Check-in Time
If you’re checking in at a self-service kiosk, you must obtain your boarding pass and check in your bags::
- No less than 45 minutes prior to departure for flights within the U.S. .
- No less than 60 minutes prior to departure for international flights, incl. U.S.V.I. U.S.V.I flights.
- Spirit Airlines Counter Check-in Time
Spirit Airlines’ airport counter check-in starts 3 hours before departure and ends:
- 45 minutes prior to departure for domestic U.S. flights.
- 60 minutes prior to departure for international and U.S.V.I flights.
Spirit Airlines Online Check-in (Web Check-in)
Spirit Airlines web check-in process
Checking in online saves you the hassle of standing in a line at the airport and takes less than a minute. If you’re holding a confirmed reservation on Spirit Airlines, you can check in online free of charge from 24 hours to 60 minutes before departure—as explained below.
A screenshot of Spirit Airlines online check-in page
Spirit Airlines online check-in process
You can web check through the website as follows:
- Go to Spirit.com
- Provide the following information in the boxes:
- Your last name
- Your confirmation code
(a 6-character alphanumeric combination such as ABC123 in your confirmation email)
- Click on the Check-in button
- Confirm your check-in
When you check in online, you’ll also be able to:
- View your itinerary
- Buy a seat assignment
- Download and print your boarding pass
- Purchase carry-on or checked baggage
(at a lower rate than at the airport)
If you check in online and buy your bags (up to 40lb/18.1kg) in advance, follow the signs to the Fast Bag Drop area to drop off your bags and proceed for your security check.
Remember
- You must obtain your boarding pass and check your bags at least:
- 45 minutes prior to departure for domestic U.S. flights .
- 1 hour prior to departure for international and U.S.V.I. flights.
- To save money:
- Print your boarding pass at home or you will be charged USD 25 for obtaining a printout at the airport check-in counter. Purchase your bags at least 24 hours before departure to avoid being charged the online check-in rates..
- Purchasing bags online is cheaper than purchasing at the airport.
- Shortcut boarding may not be available at certain stations.
- If traveling internationally, you’ll have to enter your passport details before you can buy baggage or seats, or print your boarding pass.
You May Not Be Able to Check in Online in the Following Cases
- You’re traveling with a pet or a service animal
- You’re traveling on a group reservation with 10 or more passengers
- You’re flying with a lap infant
- You’ve booked the unaccompanied minor service
- You’re traveling with a Military ID instead of a passport
- You’re traveling to/from specific international destinations
- You’re a non-U.S. citizen departing from an international location
- You’ve purchased an extra seat or special items
- You couldn’t complete your check-in online due to a glitch
(in which case your boarding pass printing charge will be waived)
Spirit Airlines Mobile App Check-in
How can I check in for a Spirit Airlines flight with my mobile device?
You can check in with Spirit Airlines mobile app by tapping on the check-in button, logging in, entering the required information, and following the onscreen prompts to check in.
After checking in, you can save your boarding pass to your device.
You can use the Spirit Airlines check-in app to:
- Check-in for your flight
- Book flights
- Add bags and extras
- Select/upgrade your seat
- View your flight status
- Download your mobile boarding pass
- View or track your Free Spirit mileage balance
Remember
- Be sure to collect your boarding pass and check your bags:
- For domestic flights—at least 45 minutes before departure.
- For international flights (and U.S.V.I)—at least 60 minutes before departure.
Exceptions
You must check in physically at the airport if:
- Your booking includes a a service animal or a pet
- Your booking includes 10 or more passengers
- You’re flying with a lap infant
- You’re flying as an unaccompanied minor
- You have a Military ID in place of a passport
- You’re flying to or from certain international destinations
- You’re a non-U.S. citizen departing from an international location
- You’ve purchased an extra seat or special items
- You couldn’t complete your check-in online due to a glitch (in which case your fee will be waived)
Spirit Airlines Kiosk Check-in
You can use the self-service touchscreen kiosks (available at select airports) to check in for your flight from 3 hours to 45 minutes before departure for domestic flights and 60 minutes before departure for international and U.S.V.I flights.
You can use a Spirit Airlines kiosk to:
- Check in for your flight
- Take a printout of your boarding pass
(costs USD 2/pass) - View your itinerary
- Add bags and extras
- Select a seat
- Upgrade your seat
- Self-tag your bags (select airports*)
After checking in and collecting your boarding pass, you can check in your bags at the Bag Drop counter.
*Self-Tagging is available at airports in the following cities:
| West Palm Beach, FL (PBI) | St. Louis, MO (STL) | San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) |
| Tampa, FL (TPA) | Seattle, WA (SEA) | San Diego, CA (SAN) |
| Sacramento, CA (SMF) | Milwaukee, WI (MKE) | Denver, CO (DEN) |
| Richmond, VA (RIC) | Miami, FL (MIA) | Dallas, TX (DFW) |
| Portland, OR (PDX) | Manchester, NH (MHT) | Columbus, OH (CMH) |
| Pittsburgh, PA (PIT) | Louisville, KY (SDF) | Cleveland, Ohio (CLE) |
| Phoenix, AZ (PHX) | Los Angeles, CA (LAX | Chicago, IL (ORD) |
| Philadelphia, PA (PHL) | Latrobe, PA (LBE) | Charlotte, NC (CLT) |
| Pensacola, FL (PNS) | Las Vegas, NV (LAS) | Charleston, WV (CRW) |
| Oakland, CA (OAK) | LaGuardia, NY (LGA) | Burbank, CA (BUR) |
| Niagara Falls, NY (IAG) | Indianapolis, IN (IND) | Boston, MA (BOS) |
| Newark, NJ (EWR) | Houston, TX (IAH) | Baltimore, MD (BWI) |
| New Orleans, LA (MSY) | Greensboro, NC (GSO) | Austin, TX (AUS) |
| Nashville, TN (BNA) | Ft. Myers, FL (RSW) | Atlantic City, NJ (ACY) |
| Myrtle Beach, SC (MYR) | Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL) | Atlanta, GA (ATL) |
| Minneapolis, MN (MSP) | Detroit, MI (DTW) |
Spirit Airlines Airport Check-in
How to check in at the airport ticket counter?
You can check in physically at Spirit Airlines’ airport ticket counter from 3 hours to 45 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights and from 3 hours to 60 minutes prior to departure for international and U.S.V.I flights.
When you reach the airport check-in desk, you must present your ticket and travel papers, and check in your baggage.
Airport Ticket Counter Check-in Tips
Ensure that:
- Your boarding pass is printed correctly.
Note. Printing a boarding pass at the airport counter costs USD 25 per boarding pass, and USD 2 at a self-service kiosk. - Your baggage is correctly tagged and you have your baggage receipts.
- You go through the security checks and reach the boarding gates no later than 15 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights and no later than 30 minutes prior to departure for international flights.
TSA Pre Check-in at Spirit Airlines
You will need to inform Spirit Airlines of your TSA Precheck enrolment before traveling. If you’re making a new reservation, you can add your TSA Precheck Known Traveller Number (KTN) while booking as explained below.
If you have an existing reservation, you add your KTN via My Trips and your redress number when you’re checking in online.
After you add the required information, the TSA Precheck indicator will appear on your Spirit Airlines boarding pass (see the screenshot below). After reaching the airport, proceed to the TSA Precheck security area.
Spirit Airlines Boarding Zones
The boarding order followed by Spirit Airlines is as follows:
- Pre-boarding. Includes special needs passengers, minors, and other passengers who require help with boarding.
- Zone 1
- Passengers who have purchased a carry-on bag.
- Passengers who have purchased a carry-on bag.
- Zone 2
- Passengers who purchased shortcut boarding.
- Free Spirit members holding a Silver or Gold status.
- Free Spirit cardholders.
- Family Boarding
- Families with children up to 3 years of age.
- Families with children up to 3 years of age.
- Zone 3
- General boarding.
- Generally, the rear half of the aircraft.
- Zone 4
- General boarding.
- Generally, the front half of the aircraft.
Frequently Asked Questions on Spirit Check-in
This FAQs section is designed to answer your questions about the Spirit check-in process. From how early you should arrive at the airport to when you should check in yourself and your bags, we have you covered.
You should reach the airport no less than 3 hours prior to departure for international flights (incl. U.S.V.I.) and 2 hours prior to departure for domestic U.S. flights.
Yes, you can, but you’ll be charged for it. Also, be sure to obtain a printout at least 1 hour before your flight departs.
A printout of your boarding pass at an airport kiosk will cost you USD 2 per pass.
It will cost you USD 25 to obtain a single printout of a boarding pass at the airport check-in counter.
You’ll be eligible for online check-in if:
1. You’re not traveling with a service animal or a pet
2. You’re not traveling on a group bookings
3. You’re not flying with a lap infant
4. You’re not an unaccompanied minor
5. You’re not flying with a passport
6. You’re not traveling to or from certain international destinations
7. You haven’t purchased an extra seat or special items
If you fall in any of the above-mentioned groups, you must check in at the airport. However, unlike other passengers, the USD 25 fee for printing your boarding pass will be waived.
The check-in rules at Spirit Airlines require that:
• You arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before departure for an international flight and 2 hours before departure for a domestic flight.
• You must have completed your check-in (incl. baggage) at least 45 minutes before departure for a domestic flight and at least 60 minutes before departure for an international flight.
• You must be at the boarding gate at least 15 minutes before departure for domestic flights and at least 30 minutes before departure for international flights.
You can check in baggage (i.e., purchase baggage) on Spirit Airlines:
• Online while booking
• Online after booking via My Trips more than 24 hours before departure
• Online within 24 hours of departure via Check-in
• At the airport counter or by phone (costlier)
Remember, purchasing bags online at the time of booking is cheaper than purchasing at the airport.
You can (and should) try purchasing your bags online—ideally at the time of booking—because it’s cheaper than purchasing within 24 hours of departure or at the airport. If you’re purchasing your baggage online more than 24 hours before departure, go to the My Trips tab on the homepage (Spirit.com), access your reservation by entering your last name and confirmation code, and then click on the Add Bags option to purchase additional baggage.
If you’re purchasing your baggage online within 24 hours of your flight’s departure, go to the homepage, click on the Check-in tab to access your reservation, and then select the Add Bags option to purchase additional bags.
You can also purchase bags at the airport or by phone, but it’ll cost you more.
Spirit Airlines has check-in kiosks at most U.S. airports.
You can check in at Terminal 5 in Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for your Spirit Airlines flight. The airport check-in counters close 45 minutes before departure for domestic flights within the U.S., and 60 minutes before departure for international flights.
You can check in at Domestic Terminal – North in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) for your Spirit Airlines flight. The check-in counters close 45 minutes before departure for domestic flights and 60 minutes before departure for international flights.
Spirit Airlines’ check-in bag weight can be up to 40lb/18.1kg and must be purchased on a Bare Fare. Bags exceeding the weight limit will be considered overweight and incur an additional charge. Spirit will not accept any bag exceeding 100lb/45kg.
Spirit Airlines will not charge any fee if you check in online for your flight and print your boarding pass at home and bring it along. However, you will be charged USD 2 for printing your boarding pass at an airport kiosk and USD 25 to have your boarding pass printed at an airport counter by an agent.
Spirit may waive the check-in fee if you’re traveling with a lap infant, using a military ID instead of a passport, or traveling as an unaccompanied minor.
You can check in at Terminal B (3 Level) for your Spirit Airlines flight departing from Orlando International Airport (MCO).
Spirit Airlines Colombia check-in details are as follows:
• Aeropuerto Internacional El Eden Airport (AXM), Colombia, Armenia – Main Terminal
• Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), Colombia, Barranquilla – Main Hall
• Aeropuerto Internacional El Nuevo Dorado (BOG), Colombia, Bogota — Terminal 1
• Palonegro International Airport (BGA), Colombia, Bucaramanga – Main Terminal Hall
• Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport (CLO), Colombia, Cali – International Terminal T2
• Rafael Nunez International Airport (CTG), Colombia, Cartagena – International Terminal
Spirit Airlines allows active-duty military personnel to travel with:
• 1 free personal item
• 1 free carry-on bag
• 2 free checked bags
Military members must reach the airport early to check in their bags at the counter, and present their military ID. To save time at the airport, they can validate their active-duty status online while booking via a third-party validation service, ID.ME, by clicking on the Verify button at checkout.
If web check-in is unavailable, you will need to check in at an airport kiosk or counter.
Yes, most passengers can check in online at Spirit Airlines. However, you will need to check in at the airport counter if:
• You’re not a U.S. citizen and you’re departing from an international location.
• You were unable to check in online due to a system glitch.
• You purchased an extra seat.
• You’re traveling as an unaccompanied minor.
• You’re traveling with a military ID instead of a passport.
• You’re traveling to/from specific international destinations.
• You’re traveling with a lap infant, special items, a pet/service animal, or with 10 or more passengers.
Spirit Airlines allows you to check in the following items per child at the check-in counter or gate for no additional charge: 1 stroller and 1 car seat. You can check in a double stroller if you’re flying with two children. After you get off the aircraft, your stroller(s) will be waiting for you.
If you’ve purchased a separate seat for your child, you’re allowed to bring a child restraint system (car seat) or a CARES (child harness device) as long as it’s FAA-approved. If the car seat is too large to fit into a regular seat, Spirit will try to arrange an open seat for you, except a Big Front Seat which is only available for an additional charge.
Remember, some aircraft seats may not be able to accommodate certain types of car seats even if they’re FAA-approved. Plus, car seats are not allowed on seats with inflatable seat belts, exit seats, and on seats in rows before or after exit seats.
For more information, refer to Spirit Airlines’ car seat policy.
If you’re checking in online or with the mobile app, the earliest you can check in for your Spirit Airlines flight is 24 hours before departure.
If you’ve downloaded the boarding pass to your mobile device, you don’t need to print it. Otherwise, you must carry a printed copy of your boarding pass.
If you check in online and print your boarding pass at home (or download it to your mobile device), you won’t be charged anything. However, if you print your boarding pass at the airport, you will be charged USD 2 for printing it at a kiosk and USD 25 for having it printed at the ticket counter by an agent.
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