For decades, one airline has stood out for offering travelers a perk that others don’t.

Now, after more than 50 years, that longstanding policy is coming to an end.

And for many passengers, the change will come at a cost.

Starting May 28, Southwest Airlines will no longer allow most passengers to check bags for free.

Only Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members and those who book Business Select fares will continue to receive two free checked bags.

Southwest's generosity with luggage will be reserved for a select few. Image source: Miguel Ángel Sanz / Unsplash

Other frequent flyers, including A-List Members and Southwest-branded credit card holders, will receive one free checked bag.

For everyone else, checked baggage fees will apply on flights booked on or after May 28.

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Southwest has long advertised its “bags fly free” policy as a key reason to choose the airline.

Now, experts warn that this change could damage brand loyalty and push customers toward competitors.

Industry analyst Henry Harteveldt didn’t hold back in his assessment.

Source: CBS News / YouTube​

“This is how you destroy a brand,” he told CBS News.

“When 97% of your customers say they fly you because of your ‘bags fly free’ policy and you make dramatic changes to it, you are telling almost all of your customers, ‘Your business doesn’t matter to us anymore.’”

The decision comes as Southwest faces mounting financial pressure.

The airline has struggled to keep pace with shifting travel patterns in the post-pandemic era.

In response, Southwest has made several major adjustments, including:

• Announcing its first-ever layoffs.
• Introducing redeye flights.
• Ending its open seating policy next year in favor of assigned seating.
• Rolling out a new Basic Economy fare class, set to debut on May 28.

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Southwest is also making sweeping changes to its Rapid Rewards program.

Under the new system, travelers will:

• Earn more points on expensive Business Select fares.
• Earn fewer points on lower-cost “Wanna Get Away” and “Wanna Get Away Plus” fares.
• Face dynamic pricing for point redemptions, meaning award flights will cost more points on high-demand routes.

As Southwest moves away from its signature free bags and open seating, many customers are questioning whether the airline is still the budget-friendly option it once was.

Southwest CEO Bob Jordan insists that these changes are about adapting to customer needs.

“Many things have changed post-COVID,” Jordan said.

“The loss of short-haul demand, a rise in premium demand, and a change in customer preferences.”

Despite the changes, Southwest says it remains committed to its core values, including hospitality and a strong domestic flight network.

Key Takeaways

• Southwest Airlines is ending its free checked bags policy for the majority of passengers, a major shift from its 54-year tradition.
• Starting May 28, only top-tier customers, such as Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members and Business Select fare buyers, will receive two free checked bags.
• The shift in policy could potentially damage customer loyalty and brand identity, according to industry experts.
• Southwest is also introducing a new discounted basic economy fare class with restrictions, and making changes to its Rapid Rewards program and seat assignments.

Will Southwest’s baggage fees change how you book flights? Do you have a strategy to avoid extra charges? Join the conversation in the comments below and share your best travel tips.

Read more: Unlock unlimited travel in 2025 with Frontier’s “All You Can Fly” pass!

 

[debkid]

The airline employees are rude and have treated their customers like criminals for years, that's why I don't fly anymore. Charging for bags is now another reason I won't. I'm retired and prefer to drive these days since I now have the time.

 

[Jazzwoman53]

Southwest Airlines planes are like the filthy Greyhound Buses of the last century. The flight attendants have all the charm of a Texas roadhouse floozie with long greasy hair dipping into the drinks on the tray she is carrying. The last time I flew Southwest it took 24 hours and 24 minutes to get from Albany, NY to Denver. Every plane I was seated on broke as it was backing from the gate. They left me stranded at my connection at BWI with no offer of a room or meal tickets. I am old and disabled. Their recalcitrance could have cost me my life. During the eighteen hours that I sat in the window at BWI, we were treated to the show of a Southwest plane going up in flames out on the tarmac. Good riddance.