Southwest Airlines Changes Baggage Policy: What Travelers Need to Know About New Fees

Image generated with Ai

Southwest Airlines, which long was renowned for its free baggage check policy, has rolled out new changes that will commence from passengers from 2025. Though Southwest, before this announcement, allowed all its customers to check two bags free, the free baggage policy will from this day only apply to certain classes only. According to the new announcement by the company, from May 28, 2025, Business Select and A-List Preferred members will still have the right to check two bags without any additional fee payment. For other passengers, baggage charges will thus apply.
Although this change violates the previously customer-friendly policy by Southwest, it’s a move that continues a broader industry trend among airlines that increasingly more services like bags and seat selection are becoming fee-based. As airlines continue to adapt to new market conditions and customer behavior, travelers need to accept the new baggage policies and how they may avoid surprises on their invoices.

What’s New and Who Still Gets Free Bags?

With the policy shift, those who buy Basic, Wanna Get Away Plus, and Anytime tickets will pay baggage fees. That is, the first bag checked will cost $35, and a second bag will cost $45. These actions are typical of an overall industry trend such that cheaper prices mean no more extras, and consumers should pay extra for previously bundled amenities.

While there won’t be pain from the fee for all passengers, there are some riders that won’t incur a fee. Passengers who book Business Select or passengers who are an A-List Preferred member from Southwest’s Rapid Rewards frequent flyer club will still be able to check two bags free of charge. Military members will still have the free checked bag benefit.

Evidently, the Southwest strategy was a balancing to meet its cost leadership and its requirement to deliver value to investors, particularly because the company was feeling pressure to deliver additional revenues.

Why Southwest Airlines Included Free Bags in its Identity

Its brand was built on offering no-fee amenities that distinguished the company from other big carriers. Being an industry where baggage and even snack fees became the norm, Southwest’s free baggage policy was a distinguishing factor, said Michael Taylor, senior managing director of travel and hospitality at J.D. Power. Southwest’s implementation of the policy before its competitors helped to solidify the carrier’s customer-centric reputation, Taylor said.

“Southwest was begun on the premise that they would be ‘different’ from other large carriers,” said Taylor. “That distinctiveness was central to their customer loyalty and their brand.”

But while competition between airlines increases and market forces become more powerful, fee-free perks become “lost revenues” and increasingly viewed as ways to collect additional revenues, and that’s why the changes have been instituted. Travelers who previously enjoyed Southwest’s free baggage policy will now have to weigh baggage fee expenses against the cost of tickets in general.

Comparing Southwest’s Baggage Fees to Other Carriers

Despite the new charges, Southwest’s baggage charges are still affordable compared to industry standards among large carriers. The table below compares Southwest’s baggage charges to industry standards among economy-class travelers:

As the table shows, Southwest’s baggage charges are still relatively low compared to most rivals, especially ultra-lowcost carriers like Spirit and Frontier, whose baggage charges sometimes exceed the value of the ticket itself. Southwest’s Basic fare members, however, will be subject to new charges that will build up very fast, so choosing fare types carefully becomes crucial.

How Travelers Can Lower Baggage Fees for Airlines

As ways to avoid surprise baggage fees, passengers may consider a number of approaches. Paying baggage fees while tickets are being bought generally proves cheaper than airport payment because customers do not face dynamic pricing and are likely to find discounts.

The other frequent traveler advice includes using travel reward cards that offer baggage fee refund or free checked bag fees among their benefits. The Southwest’s Rapid Rewards Credit Cards offer one free checked bag to members, so the cards are a good fit for those that want to still enjoy the bag-free benefit from the firm’s airlines.

Finally, some passengers are opting to forego checked bags and instead opt to travel lighter, using carry-ons exclusively. The strategy has gained favor among passengers who wish to miss not just baggage fees, yet even waiting to retrieve bags from baggage claim.

The Future of Airline Fees: Navigating a Changing Landscape

The face of travel is evolving, and Southwest’s shift to charging baggage fees offers a clue that there will be more and more separate charging by airlines for various services. While Southwest’s shift seems to defy customer-friendly policies, the tendency to increase costs on an additive level is one that will take hold within travel businesses generally. Travelers will have to know about the changes, plan ahead, and take into account the expense of increments on tickets when booking flight tickets. Even though airlines have backtracked on free amenities and introduced new fees, consumers are betterprepared to handle costs and navigate flights more easily by understanding changes and making better decisions when they book reservations.