Southwest Updates Elite Standing & Credit score Card Perks For Luggage, Seats

Southwest Airways is presently present process a significant transformation, whereby mainly every little thing is altering. The airline is introducing assigned and additional legroom seating, will begin charging for checked baggage, and extra.

Southwest has at this time revealed particulars of the way it plans to overtake its fare courses, changing the “Wanna Get Away” idea with “Primary” and “Selection.” Alongside related strains, the airline has additionally revealed the way it plans to replace its seating and baggage coverage for each A-Record elite members and Fast Rewards bank card members.

A-Record & Fast Rewards bank card assigned seating perks

Within the third quarter of 2025, Southwest will begin promoting assigned seating, for journey as of 2026. As a part of this, the airline will introduce further legroom seating (on the entrance of the airplane), most well-liked seating (in the midst of the airplane), and commonplace seating (within the again half of the airplane).

So, what can elite members and people with an eligible co-branded bank card anticipate in the case of seating perks? Right here’s what Southwest has revealed:

• A-Record Most well-liked members can choose any seat on the time of reserving, together with further legroom seating
• A-Record members can choose further legroom seats inside 48 hours of departure, or most well-liked or commonplace seats on the time of reserving
• Members with the Southwest Fast Rewards Precedence Card or Southwest Fast Rewards Efficiency Enterprise Card can choose further legroom seats inside 48 hours of departure, or most well-liked or commonplace seats on the time of reserving
• Members with the Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Card or Southwest Fast Reward Premier Enterprise Card can choose most well-liked or commonplace seats inside 48 hours of departure
• Members with the Southwest Fast Rewards Plus Card or Southwest Fast Reward Premier Enterprise Card can choose commonplace seats inside 48 hours of departure

The identical advantages will apply to as much as eight companions touring on the identical reservation.

I’d say that that is roughly what you’d anticipate, and if something, it’s good that these with a premium bank card will be capable to choose further legroom seats near departure. These guidelines additionally apply to Primary fares.

A-Record & Fast Rewards bank card checked bag perks

As of Could 28, 2025, Southwest will begin charging for checked baggage, which is a significant departure from the service’s present coverage of giving all passengers two free checked baggage. Happily for these with elite standing or a co-branded bank card, some type of free bag profit will nonetheless apply. Right here’s what Southwest has revealed:

• A-Record Most well-liked members will obtain two free checked baggage
• A-Record and all Southwest Fast Rewards card members will obtain one free checked bag

The identical advantages will apply to as much as eight companions touring on the identical reservation.

Backside line

With Southwest shifting to assigned seating and introducing checked bag charges, the airline has additionally revealed what elite and bank card members will obtain by way of perks. As you’d anticipate, free seat assignments and checked baggage are being launched as perks for eligible vacationers.

I’d say Southwest’s execution right here is roughly what you’d anticipate, if not a bit extra beneficiant than different airways. For these with excessive tier elite standing or a premium bank card, the Southwest flying expertise may simply be higher than earlier than.

What do you make of Southwest’s deliberate elite and bank card perks for assigned seats and baggage?