Southwest Airlines to Drop Popular Free Checked Baggage Policy

Southwest Airlines quietly announced its “bags fly free” policy would cease as we know it on May 28, 2025, when the airline ends free bags for most, but not all, passengers.

According to the airline, Southwest Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members and passengers traveling on Business Select fares can check two bags, while passengers on Select fare flights and A-List status members can check in one bag without extra charge.

All other Southwest passengers will be charged for checked baggage. 

A spokesperson said that when Southwest ends free bags “would create choice for customers, as well as support business objectives.”

In addition to the end of two free checked bags for every passenger, Southwest has also revamped its Rapid Rewards points earnings system.

Introduced in 1996, the Rapid Rewards program was initially structured to reward passengers with a free round-trip ticket after completing eight round-trip flights, as noted in the company’s annual report from that year. Southwest claimed this system offered the quickest path to earning free flights compared to its competitors.

While flights remain the primary way to rack up Rapid Rewards points, Southwest also offers additional ways for travelers to boost their balances. Passengers can earn points through hotel bookings, vacation packages and, more recently, cruise vacations.

When booking cruises through the airline’s travel portal, members can earn one Rapid Rewards point per dollar spent. The airline has partnered with several major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages. 

“As a Rapid Rewards Member, you earn points by flying or spending with our partners,” Southwest Airlines shares on its website. “Use them how and when you want. Plus, if you’re short on points, you can always purchase more to get that reward you’ve been eyeing.”

Frequent flyers with Southwest Airlines will notice some changes to the way they earn Rapid Rewards loyalty points. The airline has updated its points system, increasing rewards for its pricier fares while reducing them for its less costly options. 

The modifications, which took effect on March 4, 2025, impact all flights booked from that date onward. According to Southwest, passengers who purchased tickets before the change—regardless of when they travel—will still earn points at the previous rate.

Southwest assigns different point values per dollar spent based on the fare class a passenger selects. According to Travel + Leisure, the airline’s most budget-friendly option, Wanna Get Away fares, now earns customers just two points per dollar, while Business Select, the highest-tier fare, earns 14 points per dollar. Therefore, opting for a more expensive fare allows travelers to accumulate points more quickly, bringing them closer to free flights.

Previously, Wanna Get Away fares earned six points per dollar, but that rate has now been lowered. Meanwhile, Wanna Get Away+ fares have increased from four to six points per dollar and Business Select has risen from 12 to 14 points per dollar. 

This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.

Editor’s Note from My Journey Begins Travel: Not mentioned in the article, holders of Southwest Airlines-branded credit cards will be allowed one free checked bag (per Southwest.com, along with other sources). This is in line with what most, if not all, major domestic carriers in competition with Southwest are already doing (in fact, it covers up to 8 additional passengers on the same reservation). A carry-on bag (up to a standard size) will also continued to be free – again in line with the major airlines – but more than what budget carriers offer.

The policy goes into effect with BOOKINGS (or changes made to bookings) made on or after May 28, 2025 – the change is tied to the booking date, not the flight date.

Assigned seats are also rumored to be on the way, but details are unclear at present.