In an announcement that shocked Southwest loyalists in March, the airline said customers will no longer enjoy two free checked bags on flights booked on or after May 28. Starting today, Southwest Airlines baggage fees are rolling out, with customers being charged $35 or more to check a bag.
The move is part of the airline’s effort to increase revenue but has upset long-time Southwest fliers. Though, Southwest's Chief Operating Officer, Andrew M. Watterson said in an earnings call in April that the company expects "minimal disruption" to its business now that the bag fees are in effect.
Until now, Southwest was the only domestic airline that included up to two free checked bags for every customer, regardless of loyalty status or fare class. As the airline implements baggage fees this month, U.S. fliers will now have no choice but to pay for checked bags or find creative ways to qualify for free baggage perks.
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For travelers, there are still a few ways to avoid the upcoming baggage fees on Southwest. But it now makes more sense to compare offers from other airlines to make sure you’re getting the best deals for the way you travel.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about checking your bag for free now that no airline in the U.S. offers free checked bags to all customers.
Southwest Airlines bag fees and more changes are coming
The news that Southwest is getting rid of its free checked bag policy was a shock, not just because it was one of the airline’s most popular features, but because the airline’s own CEO said there were no plans to cancel it just months before the announcement.
In an Investor Day call last September, CEO Bob Jordan said that the airline’s bags fly free policy was “far and away the top feature that differentiates Southwest from our competitors.” During that same call , Jordan explained that eliminating the policy came with too much risk that upset customers would opt for competitors if the airline stopped offering free checked bags.
Fast forward to March, not only did Southwest ditch its popular bags fly free policy, it’s also overhauled its rewards program, announced plans to do away with open seating and restructure its fare classes. This comes as Delta implements fare changes of its own and other airlines invest in expanding or upgrading premium seating.
With these changes, Southwest is becoming more or less like any other airline where customers have to pay extra for baggage, legroom or the ability to pick their preferred seat on the plane.
How your bags can still fly free on Southwest
Checked bags no longer fly free by default on Southwest, but, like other airlines, you can still take a carry-on and one personal item at no extra cost.
Certain customers can also still qualify for a free checked bag perk. Specifically, anyone who books a Business Select Fare will get two free checked bags included with the ticket. Active duty military also get two free checked bags, but they have to show a valid military ID to get the fees waived.
Southwest Rapid Rewards A-List members will also get one free checked bag while A-List Preferred members can get two free checked bags.
Reaching A-List, the lowest tier in the loyalty program, requires flying a minimum of 20 one-way flight segments or earning 35,000 tier qualifying points in a year. So, only those who fly often enough and primarily use Southwest when they do will be able to qualify for a free checked bag once the new policy rolls out.
If you don’t want to chase airline status just to get a free checked bag, there are a couple other options for non-Rapid Rewards members. First, you can get two free checked bags when you upgrade to a Business Select fare.
Those who have one of Southwest’s co-branded credit cards will also get one free checked bag as a perk. Both the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus and Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority cards carry annual fees, though. So it’s only worth signing up if the perks offered are worth more than the annual fee you’ll be paying.
The easiest (and cheapest) ways to get a free checked bag when traveling
Now that Southwest is doing away with its bags fly free policy, travelers will have to find other ways to skip baggage fees when they fly. If you’re not interested in jumping through the hoops to reach status just to get a perk that you used to get for free, you’re not alone.
The good news is that there are plenty of co-branded travel credit cards that include one or more free checked bags on the airline associated with the card. With an annual fee of $69, Southwest’s Rapid Rewards Plus card is the cheapest card that includes a free checked bag.
But United, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Jet Blue all have credit cards with under-$100 fees and at least one free checked bag. So make sure to compare the full list of perks and consider where and how you fly to figure out which card would be the best value for you.
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