No More Free Bags: What you need to know about Southwest Airline’s new bag policy

Author: Alec Sills-Trausch

On March 11, Southwest Airlines, under investor pressure to increase revenue and profits, ended its two-free bag policy for all fliers. But there are some exceptions and some unknowns. Below, we’ll quickly dive into everything the company said in their press alert,and how it can affect you and maybe some silver linings.

Key Details of Southwest’s New Bag Policy

Things aren’t changing immediately on Southwest

Flights booked from now through May 27 will still have free bags for those flights – even if they are for later dates. So if you book a flight on April 2 with a travel date of September 20, you’ll still receive free bags.

High Status and Credit Card Holders Win Out

If you carry status at Southwest, you’ll still receive your two free bags, they said.

We will offer two free checked bags to our Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members and Business Select Customers, and one free checked bag to A-List Members and other select Customers. 

They are also rewarding credit card members. Holding a Rapid Rewards Credit Card will also give you one free bag. This keeps people in the Southwest ecosystem, thus increasing the odds they will continue to book with the airlines.

How much will a checked bag be?

That’s the great unknown; Southwest did not release any pricing details, saying it would come at a later date. One part of me thinks they will try to come in under the standard $35 that most other airlines charge. This would signal that they are still looking out for everyday fliers.

But if they are under pressure to make more money, going with $35 is an easy call.

New Basic Fare Prices Are Coming

Southwest Airlines is rolling out changes to its fare structure and flight credit policies in two phases, impacting rewards earnings and ticket flexibility.

The biggest one is the pricing structure. It looks like Southwest will be adding in a ‘Bare Economy’ level that many other airlines have rolled out. This will likely be a bare-bones operation with no carry-on option.

“Beginning May 28, we will introduce a new Basic fare. This new Basic fare will be our lowest price point and will have less flexibility than other fares.”

This is definitely geared towards attracting those who still want cheap flights but do not need the two free bags.

What else was in the notice?

The airline adjusted its Rapid Rewards program by increasing the earn ratio for Business Select fares while reducing it for Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares. Redemption rates will also fluctuate based on travel demand.

On the same date, flight credits and Transferable Flight Credits™ issued for tickets purchased or changed after May 28 will come with expiration dates of one year or less, depending on the fare.

Notably, flight credits issued on or before May 27, 2025, will not expire unless they are applied to a new reservation after May 28 and later canceled—at which point the new credit will be subject to expiration.

Basic Take Away

  • Free bags are still available for A-Status and those with the SW credit card
  • New, inexpensive option is coming soon
  • Bag Prices are unknown at the moment
  • Get more people to sign up for the Southwest Credit Card that either costs $69 or $99

My Thoughts on the Southwest Change

We’ve known for a while that there were going to be some changes at Southwest. The airline’s financials have been sluggish, and they’ve needed to juice some numbers. They are already ditching open seating with those flights happening sometime in early 2026.

I think families will love this new policy, but for couples or single travelers, finding a single seat or two isn’t a big deal unless you get on at the very end.

But the bag policy is something everyone knows belongs to Southwest and is their brand. Ending that policy will upset many people and likely make them think twice about flying with Southwest. However, when was the last time you used both free bags on a flight?

I actually don’t think I ever have, so I doubt it is as MASSIVE a change as people anticipate. But people simply don’t like giving up things, even if they don’t use them.

Flights are not as cheap as they used to be

Furthermore, I’ve been finding that Southwest isn’t the inexpensive airline that it used to be. And I wonder if other people have realized the same. While I still fly Southwest occasionally, living in Seattle, flying Alaska throughout the region seems to be a better option while on the West Coast.

Overall, I think this will get negative PR and maybe fewer sales initially, but I doubt this affects them too much in the long run. If they end up coming around the same rates for the basic fares, people will always go with the cheaper flight. And if you hold the credit card, you’ll still get your free bag (unless they have a clause that says no free bag on basic flights).

So, all we can do now is wait and see what the final prices are for bags and flights and go from there.

Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.

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