Daniel has loved aviation and travel his entire life. He earned a Master of Science in Air Transport Management and has written about travel and aviation in publications like Simple Flying, The Points...
Spirit Airlines Unveils New Invite-Only Free Spirit Credit Card
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Spirit Airlines has launched a new co-branded credit card from Mercury Financial and First Bank & Trust.
The new Free Spirit® Points Plus Mastercard®, along with the Free Spirit® Points Mastercard® launched earlier in 2021, is different from the Bank of America Spirit Airlines credit cards as you’re only eligible if you have been invited to apply (likely via mail).
The Free Spirit Points Plus card will have an annual fee of $79, which is on the low end of credit card fees.
Welcome Bonus
For the Free Spirit Points Plus card, upon spending $750 in qualifying purchases and at least 1 monthly minimum payment during the first 90 days of account opening, cardmembers will earn a bonus of 20,000 Free Spirit points. Rather than just a regular sign-up bonus, cardholders will also receive a $100 Companion Flight Voucher after hitting the above spending criteria.
Curiously, the welcome bonus of the airline’s other paid card — the Free Spirit® Travel More World Elite Mastercard® — is double the points at 40,000 Free Spirit points. The Free Spirit World Elite card has the same annual fee but isn’t invite-only. So, depending on your welcome bonus eligibility, choosing a card with a higher sign-up bonus would make more sense.
The Free Spirit Points card comes with an offer of 5,000 bonus points after spending $500 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. The Free Spirit® Travel Mastercard®, by comparison, offers 10,000 bonus points for the same spending criteria. Both of these cards do not have an annual fee.
Other Benefits
Spirit flyers who are in possession of the new Free Spirit Points Plus card or Free Spirit Points card will get to board the aircraft early in Zone 2 and receive a 25% discount on food and drink purchases while onboard. Their Free Spirit points will also never expire so long as the card is active.
In terms of points perks, Free Spirit Points Plus cardholders will earn 1 status qualifying point (SQP) per $10 spent and be eligible for Points Pooling for up to 8 Free Spirit members.
Earning status through credit card spending is an especially valuable perk, and status with Spirit Airlines can offer increased earnings on fares and À La Smarte Options, same-day standby, seat selection, baggage benefits, and more.
In addition to the $100 Companion Flight Voucher included with the sign-up bonus offer for the Free Spirit Points Plus card, a second will be awarded when spending $5,000 within a year. The card’s annual fee will also be waived for the first year.
Hot Tip: Learn more about the Spirit Airlines Free Spirit loyalty program, featuring an in-depth look at the benefits of elite status.
Points Earning
The new Free Spirit Points Plus card helps you earn bonus Free Spirit points, including:
- 3x on Spirit purchases
- 2x on dining out and groceries
- 1x on all other purchases
By comparison, the Free Spirit Points card offers 2x on Spirit purchases and 1x on all other purchases.
These earning rates mirror the Bank of America card options.
Final Thoughts
If you receive an invite in the mail, this card is definitely worth considering. The Free Spirit Points Plus card is a great way of earning bonus Free Spirit points and airline status when flying with the airline.
However, always make sure to compare your other options to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible. The Free Spirit Points Plus card and Free Spirit Points card potentially target those that may not qualify for Spirit’s existing Bank of America cards and come with higher APRs, so if you’re interested in a Spirit credit card, it may make the most sense to apply for the Free Spirit World Elite card or Free Spirit card first.
The information regarding the Free Spirit® Points Mastercard® and Free Spirit® Points Plus Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Free Spirit® Travel More World Elite Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Free Spirit® Travel Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
Featured Image Credit: Glenn Beltz via Flickr
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About Daniel Ross
Daniel has loved aviation and travel his entire life. He earned a Master of Science in Air Transport Management and has written about travel and aviation in publications like Simple Flying, The Points Guy, and more.
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