After nearly 60 years of letting passengers check bags for free, Southwest Airlines has finally joined the rest of the aviation industry in charging for luggage — and now we know exactly what it’ll cost you.
Starting with flights booked on or after May 28, Southwest passengers will be hit with a $35 fee for the first checked bag and $45 for the second. The airline, long known for its “bags fly free” slogan (which it literally trademarked), has now walked away from one of its most beloved customer perks.
If you managed to buy a plane ticket before the deadline, you’ll still get your two free checked bags. And there are a few lucky groups who are still off the hook: A-List Rapid Rewards members, Southwest credit card holders, and those flying on business fares won’t be charged.
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Everyone else will have to pack light if they want to save money.
The move brings Southwest in line with other major U.S. airlines, like Delta, American, and United, which already charge between $35–$40 for checked bags. But the shift isn’t just about keeping up with the competition. It’s about money.
Despite not charging for the first two bags until now, Southwest still brought in $83 million in baggage fees in 2024, mostly from excess and overweight luggage. But that’s pocket change compared to American Airlines’ $1.5 billion or Delta’s $1 billion.
With the new charges, Southwest is poised to rake in far more. That’s especially since it sees two to three times more checked flight baggage than most other carriers.
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For the many wondering why the airline has changed its tune now, the answer may lie with activist investors. Since Elliott Investment Management dropped $1.9 billion into Southwest last year, the airline has been under pressure to boost profits and revamp its image. And this baggage fee is just the start.
Southwest has already announced that it’s ditching its famously chaotic open-seating policy in 2026. It’s also rolling out “basic economy” fares packed with restrictions, replacing its signature “Wanna Get Away” ticket. And in a nod to premium flyers, the airline is retrofitting cabins with extra-legroom seats — for a price, of course.
CEO Bob Jordan recently addressed the changes during a talk at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference. Despite the backlash, he described the shift as “low risk.”
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Altogether, Jordan said: “There is low risk because we're putting in things that the industry has done forever. So there's low risk implementation, there's low risk in the financial benefit paying off,”
Still, some industry experts say ditching “bags fly free” could backfire, warning that it risks alienating loyal customers. But Jordan doesn’t seem phased, adding: “We will continue to pursue the consumer”
He further stated: “Rather than say, no, Southwest Airlines does not do that… you must follow the consumer or you are forever vulnerable to others that can offer that to the consumer.”
Whether Southwest passengers will accept paying for bags after decades of free perks remains to be seen. Either way, budget flying just got a little less budget.