Southwest Airlines began charging for checked bags starting May 28, 2025. Prior to this date, Southwest allowed two free checked bags per passenger, but that policy ended with flights booked from May 28 onward. The fees are:
- $35 for the first checked bag
- $45 for the second checked bag
Exceptions to this fee policy include:
- Business Select and A-List Preferred loyalty members, who still get two free checked bags.
- A-List members and holders of Southwest's co-branded Rapid Rewards credit card receive one free checked bag.
- Active duty military customers also continue to be exempt from checked bag fees.
This change marks the end of Southwest's long-standing "bags fly free" policy and aligns its baggage fee structure more closely with other major U.S. airlines.
