OAN Staff Abril Elfi
2:02 PM – Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Southwest Airlines will begin charging customers for their first and second checked bags, ending its long-standing policy of free checked bags.
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On Tuesday, the airline announced that it will begin charging for checked bags for all flights booked on or after May 28th, 2025.
However, the airline also noted that those who are “Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members” and customers “traveling on Business Select fares” will still receive two free checked bags.
A-List Members and “other select customers” will receive one free checked bag.
Although the exact amount that Southwest will be charging for checked bags has not yet been released to the press, the airline’s website states that a third checked bag is approximately $150.
According to Southwest CEO Bob Jordan, the new policy is part of an effort “to meet current and future customer needs, attract new customer segments we don’t compete for today.”
The airline had maintained a single economy-class cabin with open seating assignments for over 50 years.
However, they announced in July that they will begin offering assigned seating and offering premium seating options on all flights.
Southwest said it intends to offer a premium, extended legroom section of the cabin and it anticipates around one-third of seats across the fleet to have extended legroom, which is consistent with what industry peers offer on narrow-body aircraft.
The airline has not yet announced a launch date for seat selection and premium seating.
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