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Spirit Airlines Adds Free Bag Perk to Co-Branded Credit Card
The embattled Spirit Airlines is sweetening its co-branded credit card with a highly desirable perk.
About the New Free Spirit Travel More Card Benefit:
Effective immediately, those with the Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard can take advantage a potentially lucrative new benefit. Primary cardholders can now enjoy up to two free checked bags on Spirit flights. However, the trip must be booked with their eligible card.
Spirit notes that this perk is valid on bags of up to 50 pounds. However, items like golf clubs, skis, and snowboards may also qualify as long as they meet Spirit’s standard baggage restrictions.
The Free Spirit Travel More World Elite Mastercard is one of two Spirit credit cards issued by Bank of America. Notably, the other card — the no-annual-fee Free Spirit Travel Mastercard — will not be gaining the bag benefit at this time. Currently, the Travel More card carries a $79 annual fee.
This new bag perk joins several other features that the Free Spirit Travel More card already offers. These include earning 3x points on eligible Spirit purchases as well as points on eligible dining and grocery store purchases, earning 1 Status Qualifying Point for each $10 in purchases, Priority Check-in at participating airports, Group 2 Priority Boarding, and more. Additionally, cardholders who spend at least $5,000 in purchases on the card per year can earn a $100 Companion Flight Voucher each anniversary when they renew.
What They’re Saying:
Announcing the new benefit, Spirit’s SVP and Chief Commercial Officer Rana Ghosh said, “Our most loyal Guests know they get the greatest value when they choose Spirit, and now the Free Spirit Travel More Mastercard makes flying with us even more rewarding. With two free checked bags, primary cardholders can enjoy more of what they love, including excellent value, great perks, and an elevated travel experience.”
My Thoughts:
While free bags are a common perk on co-branded cards from major air carriers, budget brands have largely avoided such a benefit. So the fact that Spirit is entitling cardholders to not one but two free checked bags with their card seems significant. It should be noted that this perk only applies to primary cardholders, whereas other cards (such as Southwest’s line-up) allow for multiple travelers on the same itinerary to take advantage of the benefit.
Of course, addressing the elephant in the room, it’s unclear just how much longer Spirit can survive. The airline has filed for bankruptcy a second time, and its execs haven’t had many encouraging messages about their future. On top of that, smelling blood in the water (er, air), some rivals have sought to amplify the pressure on Spirit by doubling down on their routes.
All this is to say that, while this new bag perk is a win for current cardholders, I’m not sure that now is the right time for those who don’t already have the Free Spirit Travel More card to bother applying for it.
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Other Articles by Kyle Burbank
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