By Reuters
May 26, 2025 – 10:09 PM PDT
(Reuters) – Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) on Tuesday said it will charge $35 for one checked bag and $45 for the second, except for certain elite customers, bringing an end to the airline’s free luggage policy.
The move formalizes Southwest’s March announcement when the airline said it would end its “bags fly free” policy by charging some customers, as it looked for ways to shore up its earnings.
Southwest was the only major U.S. carrier that allowed customers to check in two bags at no cost.
The airline said it will continue to offer two free checked bags to loyal customers with the A-List Preferred status and to passengers that pay the most premium fare.
Customers with the lower loyalty status, A-List, will get one free checked bag. The carrier will also credit one checked bag for passengers who hold its co-branded credit card.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on Tuesday.
Southwest withdrew its financial forecast for the year over uncertainties from U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war.
Reporting by Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru; Additional Reporting by Mrinmay Dey, Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Mrigank Dhaniwala