Controversial low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines is rolling the dice in Chicago, adding new daily flights from O’Hare to gambling havens Las Vegas and Atlantic City, N.J.
Spirit plans to begin flying to Las Vegas on Nov. 11, 2010, and Atlantic City on March 3, 2011.
The discounter is kicking off the service with a blue-light special: Introductory fares of $9 and $39, each way, for round-trip tickets purchased Thursday or Friday.
However, the cheap tickets come with strings attached. To obtain them, travelers must first join Spirit’s $9 Fare Club, and pay an assortment of taxes and service fees.
Starting Aug. 1, Spirit will begin charging $20 to $45 for any carry-on bag that doesn’t fit under a passenger’s seat. Dimensions must not exceed 16 inches by 14 inches by 12 inches, the carrier said. Spirit will also charge $15 to $25, depending on the point of purchase, for the first checked bag.