It’s the end of an era.
Southwest Airlines, which has not charged passengers for their first two checked bags since its founding nearly six decades ago, said on Tuesday that it will roll out a schedule of luggage fees for flights booked on May 28 and after.
The end of the beloved free-baggage policy is part of a spate of changes aimed at helping the airline “return to levels of profitability that both we and our shareholders expect,” Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said in an announcement.
The airline said it would continue to offer two free checked bags to “A-List Preferred” and business-class passengers. “A-List” passengers will get one free checked bag, and Southwest rewards cardholders will receive a credit statement reimbursing the baggage fee. One personal item and one carry-on bag will remain free.
Southwest hasn’t yet released details on how much checked bags will cost, though rival carriers usually charge between $40 and $75 per checked bag.
The company’s luggage policy reversal comes at a difficult time for the airline industry.
Earlier this week, major airlines cut their earnings estimates, citing economic uncertainty as consumers and businesses trim their travel budgets. California wildfires, recession fears stemming from President Donald Trump’s tariff war, halted travel among government workers and a series of major plane crashes and malfunctions in recent months have all contributed to the industry’s woes.
In February, Southwest said it plans to lay off 15% of its corporate workforce, or about 1,750 people. And in September, the airline announced it was getting rid of another longstanding policy: open seating. Assigned seating is expected to begin in 2026.
How much do other airlines charge?
Southwest was a lone holdout among major U.S. airlines, which have all started charging for checked bags over the past decade or so. American Airlines was the first to charge a checked-bag fee amid the Great Recession in 2008.
The practice has proliferated in the industry since then, becoming a major source of revenue for airline carriers. According to a 2022 study, baggage fees account for 3.3% of revenue of the major legacy airlines (such as American or Delta). For budget airlines such as Spirit or Frontier, those fees make up over 21% of revenue.
Here’s a look at airline baggage fees today among popular airlines for standard economy-class tickets.
American Airlines
- Free small personal item and one carry-on bag
- First checked bag is $40 (or $35 if paying online) for domestic flights. Second bag is $45.
- One free checked bag on select international flights
Delta Airlines
- Free small personal item and one carry-on bag
- First checked bag is $35 each way. Second bag is $45 each way for domestic flights.
- One free checked bag on certain international flights
JetBlue
- Free small personal item and one carry-on bag
- First checked bag is $45. Second bag is $60 for domestic flights.
- For transatlantic flights, first bag is $65, and the second bag is $105.
- Costs may increase $5-$10 per bag during peak travel times.
United Airlines
- Only one personal item is free for domestic flights.
- First checked bag typically costs $40 for domestic flights, and the second bag is $50. A $5 pre-pay discount may apply.
- First checked bag is free on select international flights.
In many cases, airlines offer their own travel credit cards that include free-baggage perks among other discounts.
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