Southwest reveals value for brand new checked bag charges

Southwest Airways has revealed how a lot checked luggage will price clients, because the service’s new charges go into impact this week. It will look fairly much like different airways.
Beginning Wednesday, Southwest will cost most passengers $35 for his or her first checked bag, an airline spokesperson confirmed to TPG early Tuesday.
That is in step with the bag charges presently assessed by many of the different massive U.S. carriers.
Passengers pays $45 for his or her second checked bag on Southwest.
The brand new charges will apply to flights booked from Might 28 onward, which suggests vacationers who already booked a summer time journey will get to benefit from the airline’s “luggage fly free” coverage on that journey and on another current bookings. Plus, any bookings made by the top of the day on Might 27 would even be eligible at no cost luggage, so if you already know your journey plans for later this yr, and even the vacations, you may contemplate locking that flight in by the top of the day Tuesday.
How you can get free luggage on Southwest
Past that, Southwest has laid out just a few new methods passengers will be capable of retain free luggage when flying with the airline:
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- Passengers who guide the service’s highest-level Enterprise Choose fare will get two free luggage. Later this yr, Enterprise Choose will turn out to be “Selection Additional” when Southwest begins promoting assigned seating for 2026. This fare class will finally embrace entry to the service’s new further legroom seats.
- Speedy Rewards members who earn A-Record Most popular elite standing will nonetheless get two free checked luggage.
- A-Record members will get one free bag.
- All Southwest Speedy Rewards cobranded Chase bank card holders will get one free checked bag.
Why is Southwest ending luggage fly free?
Southwest is basically following within the footsteps of its prime opponents in setting the costs for its first-ever bag charges.
The “Huge Three” community airways (American Airways, Delta Air Strains and United Airways) every cost $35 for the primary checked bag, although in some instances, you need to meet sure standards to get that value, similar to paying in your bag forward of time.
It is the most recent instance of Southwest making a transfer to look much more like its opponents, from ditching its two-free-bags coverage that largely stood alone within the U.S. airline trade, to ending its hallmark open seating coverage and overhauling its one-of-a-kind boarding coverage.
In making the transfer, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan cited a necessity to spice up the airline’s earnings, which have been lackluster in recent times.
Final yr, executives mentioned Southwest’s free luggage coverage was among the many prime causes clients selected to fly the airline over its opponents.
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