Last Updated on March 11, 2025 by ETC Team
Southwest Airlines is bringing an end to it’s most recognizable perk. In an announcement, the Dallas based airline revealed that it’s ‘Bags Fly Free’ policy will be ending for most travelers and the airline will begin charging for checked baggage.
Southwest had been the only major U.S. airline to allow passengers to check two bags for free. This longstanding perk set it apart from competitors. But beginning May 28,2025, those looking to travel with the airline will have to pay for checked baggage.
There will be some exceptions to the new policy. Passengers with A-List loyalty status or those traveling on a business fare ticket will be exempt from the fees. Customers with a co-branded Southwest credit card will also still receive one free checked bag.
Southwest Airlines has been working to cut costs since Elliott Investment Management acquired a significant stake in the company last year. The activist investment firm has pushed for financial improvements, securing board seats in October. Since then, several major changes have been announced.
What This Means For Checked Baggage And Southwest Going Forward
The airline says the intention of these changes is to increase revenue. In late 2024, the airline also made changes to its open seating policy.
“We have tremendous opportunity to meet current and future customer needs, attract new customer segments we don’t compete for today, and return to the levels of profitability that both we and our shareholders expect,” said Bob Jordan, CEO of Southwest, in a press release.
In another shift in strategy, Southwest flights are now listed on Expedia and its companion sites, including Cheaptickets, Hotwire, Orbitz, and Travelocity. This comes after the airline added the ability to check fares on the website Kayak in late 2024. Previously, customers could only book Southwest flights directly through the airline’s website.
As other budget airlines like Spirit and Frontier have also made recent changes to popular policies, Southwest Airlines makes a departure from a policy that started when the airline was founded 60 years ago. Southwest continued to keep the policy in place when its competitors starting adding and increasing fees. In fact, the airline has trademarked the “bags fly free” slogan and it’s been a key part of its advertising.
The airline has not yet announced the cost for checked baggage.
