Southwest Airlines Ending Popular Free Bag Policy

Southwest Airlines is considered one of the most popular budget airlines with their most popular perk being their free checked bag policy. For our readers that are traveling to the theme parks, often with children in tow, checked bags are a must for this type of travel.

Southwest Airlines has had the free bag policy since the airline started nearly 60 years ago and this policy has been a key part of their promotional materials with the common phrase “Bags Fly Free” advertised.

Unfortunately, it looks like those bags won't be flying free much longer as Southwest Airlines is ending their popular free bag policy.

Southwest Free Bag Policy Ending Soon

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Southwest Airlines announced today that they will begin charging for first and second checked bags. This new change will apply to flights booked on or after May 28, 2025. Their prior policy allowed customers to check their first and second bags for free which has always been a big part of the airline's appeal.

Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members and customers traveling on Business Select will still receive two free checked bags. For regular A-List Members, they will receive one free checked bag. Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers will receive a credit for one checked bag.

It's not that easy to become an A-List Preferred Member to get those two free checked bags as you need to fly 40 qualifying one-way flights or earn 70,000 points in one calendar year. As for A-List Members, you need to fly 20 qualifying one-way flights or earn 35,000 tier qualifying points in one calendar year.

For all other passengers, the bag fees will apply. Southwest has not announced their fees yet for checked bags nor the full fine print of these perks for reward and credit card members.

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