Bags No Longer ‘Fly Free’ For All at Southwest Airlines

Southwest is breaking yet another tradition as the air travel industry undergoes major changes in 2025. This time, Southwest is axing free checked bags after an astounding 60 years.

The airline posted a press release mentioning the change while also highlighting how it will ‘drive revenue growth and reward its most loyal customers’.

Lone Holdout Institutes Bag Fees

Southwest Airlines issued a press release announcing the end of free checked bags for all customers after six decades. This change will take effect on 28 May, 2025.

The press release states that those who are not ‘Rapids Rewards A-List Preferred’ and ‘Business Select’ members will now be charged a fee for checked bags. Customers that reach either of the two aforementioned statuses will be given two free checked bags for each flight.

To qualify for ‘Rapids Rewards A-List Preferred’, customers must fly 40 qualifying one-way flights on Southwest or earn 70,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQP) within a calendar year.

Alternatively, customers can pay for the Business Select fare option. Currently, the least expensive one-way flight from New York to Los Angeles on Southwest is $198 per passenger for the ‘Wanna Get Away’ economy class. The same flight costs $328 per passenger for the ‘Business Select’ class. If you have a large family, it might make more sense to just pay the bag fees.

Other Southwest Announcements

Also announced in Southwest’s press release, the airline will make adjustments to Rapid Rewards points. ‘Wanna Get Away’ customers earn less, but ‘Business Select’ customers earn more. The Rapids Rewards program will also introduce redemption rates depending on the demand of certain flights.

Southwest Airlines President Bob Jordan commented on the new changes during the press release:

‘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…We will do all this while remaining focused on what’s made us strong—our People and the authentic, friendly, and award-winning Customer Service only they can provide.’

Back in December, Air Canada announced it will do away with free carry-on bags for economy class customers on domestic and flights involving the United States or the Caribbeans.