Spirit Airlines is stepping up to enhance the travel experience, introducing two customer-friendly changes.

At this pace, it seems only a matter of time before Spirit Airlines' strict policies become a thing of the past.

On Tuesday, the Florida-based airline announced two customer-friendly updates that will align it more closely with its larger legacy airline counterparts.

The first update allows standard checked bags to weigh up to 50 pounds each. While this has been the industry norm, ultra-low-cost carriers like Spirit previously imposed hefty fees for bags over 40 pounds.

It's important to note that Spirit isn't transforming into Southwest Airlines. They will still charge for checked bags, but the new standard bag fees will now accommodate up to 50 pounds before overweight fees apply.

In addition, Spirit will prolong the validity of all new travel vouchers issued from June 3 onward. Moving forward, Spirit credits will now be valid for 12 months, a significant improvement over the previously strict 90-day period that has been standard.

These two updates complement Spirit's recently launched new travel experience, which includes a policy of no change or cancellation fees on all fares. This no-change-fee policy started on May 17, allowing travelers to only pay the fare difference or receive a credit if the new trip costs less.

Additionally, under Tuesday's changes, if passengers decide to cancel a flight, their travel credit will remain valid for 12 months from the date of issuance.

"Spirit has revolutionized the industry before, and we are doing it again with this initial set of initiatives that will usher in a new era of low-cost, high-value flying. These enhancements offer all our Guests unmatched flexibility and peace of mind, marking just the start of our commitment to making affordable travel easier and more seamless than ever," stated Matt Klein, Spirit's chief commercial officer, regarding the news.

Interestingly, Spirit's major ultra-low-cost competitor, Frontier Airlines, made a similar announcement last month, stating it would extend credit validity to 12 months from the previous 90 days. However, Frontier still imposes overweight fees for bags exceeding 40 pounds.

Spirit has been struggling financially for years, and now that the airline's proposed merger with JetBlue has fallen through, it is taking measures to turn things around. This includes eliminating many of the harsh policies that were once key to Spirit's ultra-low-cost model.

Since this previous strategy hasn't yielded profits in recent years, Spirit is shifting towards a passenger experience that resembles flying with American Airlines rather than the Spirit of the past.

"It is evident that we need to implement changes to adapt to the new industry dynamics and make Spirit a more attractive option for travelers," stated Spirit CEO Ted Christie during the airline's recent first-quarter earnings call.

These adjustments are clearly part of the airline's strategy to regain profitability, but their effectiveness remains to be seen. Additionally, Spirit is refining its network by eliminating unprofitable routes and introducing new ones—such as numerous one-stop connecting flights—to better attract travelers.

More changes are coming soon, so stay tuned.