Airline Baggage Charges by Southwest Airlines and Strategies to Evade Them
Southwest Airlines Updates Baggage Policy
As of May 28, 2025, Southwest Airlines has made significant changes to its baggage policy. The airline, which previously offered two free checked bags for all passengers, now charges for checked bags for most travelers.
New Checked Bag Fees
For passengers not eligible for waivers or free checked bags, the updated baggage fees are as follows: - The first checked bag costs $35. - The second checked bag costs $45. - Additional bags or overweight/oversized bags start at $150 per bag.
Carry-On Allowance
Passengers are still allowed one personal item and one standard carry-on bag for free. The size limits for these items are: - Personal item: 16.25 x 13.5 x 8.5 inches (41 x 34.3 x 22 cm) - Standard carry-on: 24 x 16 x 10 inches (60.9 x 40.6 x 25.4 cm)
Exceptions and Benefits
Southwest Airlines continues to offer free checked bags to A-List Preferred elites, Business Select fare passengers, and certain Southwest co-branded credit card holders. Rapid Rewards A-List members receive one free checked bag, while Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members receive two free checked bags.
Travelers who book the more expensive Business Select members also get two free checked bags. If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and spend at least $75,000 each calendar year, you will get Southwest Airlines A-List status, which includes your first checked bag for free.
Special Items
Strollers and car seats can be checked at the curb, ticket counter, or gate free of charge. Special items such as archery equipment, baseball and softball equipment, boogie and kneeboards, bowling bags, bicycles (hard-sided bicycle box within the 62-inch and 50-pound limits), fishing rod and tackle box (limited to 91 inches in length, 3 inches in diameter), golf bag (hard-sided golf bag, excess size charges waived; excess weight charges may apply), hockey and lacrosse sticks (up to 2 bags can count as 1 item, even if packed separately), knives, dress sabers, swords (checked bags only), parachutes (carry-on or checked bag, may not be worn in flight), scuba equipment (air tanks must be empty), skateboards (carry-on or checked), snow ski equipment (up to 2 bags (1 set of equipment) count as 1 item, even if packed separately, excess size charges waived; excess weight charges may apply), surfing equipment (excess weight and size charges apply, excluding flights between the islands of Hawaii, may be subject to a limited release of liability), water ski equipment (excess size charges waived; excess weight charges may apply) are also allowed, with some restrictions.
Military Personnel
Military personnel traveling on active duty or permanent change of station orders are not charged checked, overweight or oversized bag fees, providing the bags do not exceed 100 pounds and 80 inches.
Operational Challenges
The new baggage policy has resulted in operational challenges for Southwest Airlines, including more gate-checking of carry-ons due to space issues. The airline has implemented a new cubic density measurement for oversized or uniquely shaped items and has tightened enforcement of carry-on size limits, leading more passengers to check bags.
Southwest does not allow luggage to be prepaid, and fees must be paid at the airport. However, some credit cards, such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, can help eliminate some of the overweight or oversized bag fees when flying on Southwest. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee, and for a limited time, enjoys a $100 credit to use towards flights, stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel during your first cardholder year, plus earns 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
In summary, passengers without waivers or free bag eligibility should budget for $35 for their first checked bag and $45 for their second, while still carrying one personal item and one carry-on free if size limits are met. Travelers are advised to carefully review Southwest Airlines' baggage policy and consider credit card benefits to help manage luggage fees.
