Spirit Airlines' Latest Dress Code Change And What It Means For Passengers

Think your airplane outfit is your business? Not so fast. Whether you're a casual flyer or you wear a better outfit hoping to get upgraded to first class, you may need to rethink your clothing choices if you're flying Spirit Airlines this year. Their updated dress code has just gotten more explicit, and the banned list includes see-through clothing and lewd tattoos.

In 2024, Spirit Airlines made headlines when two women claimed to have been removed from a flight for wearing crop tops — so yes, your outfit really can get you kicked off a plane. At the time, the airline's dress code was less specific, referencing only passengers who were "barefoot or inadequately clothed." The guidelines were updated in January 2025 to add specific examples.

According to the new Contract of Carriage, passengers can be denied boarding or asked to deboard the aircraft if they are "barefoot or inadequately clothed (i.e., see-through clothing; not adequately covered; exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts)" or their "clothing or article, including body art, is lewd, obscene, or offensive in nature." The reference to body art is new, and, as some tattoos can't always be covered, potentially disallows a number of passengers. What's more, you are not entitled to a refund if you're denied boarding because you flout the dress code rules.

Reaction to Spirit's new rules has been mixed. Some travelers applauded Spirit for setting clearer guidelines and, as one Reddit user put it in the r/spiritair forum, bringing back a bit of class to travel. Several X users also praised Spirit's decision, pleased that order and smarter clothing were coming back to air travel. However, other Reddit users called it a "weird policy" and wrote, "who cares what people wear."

Spirit is making the headlines at the moment, but is it the only airline with a dress code? Far from it! Hawaiian Airlines specifies that "swimming attire is not acceptable," while many other airlines prohibit obscene clothing and ask that passengers not have bare feet. So, what should you wear in the air? According to a celebrity stylist, the best things to wear on a flight are those that are comfortable and practical — think layers! And if you want to fly Spirit, you'll have to toe the line now that the new rules are in place.