Southwest Ends Its Famous Two-Free-Checked-Bags Policy

Southwest Airlines ended its long-standing policy of offering two free checked bags to every passenger starting May 28, 2025, closing out one of the most recognizable customer-friendly policies in the US airline industry. Under the new structure, passengers on the airline's Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares began paying standard checked-bag fees, while only Choice Extra fare holders and top-tier A-List Preferred loyalty members retained free checked bags.

The change marked a broader strategic shift for Southwest, which had built much of its brand identity around simplicity and passenger-friendly policies like open seating and free bags, as the airline faced pressure from activist investors to boost margins that had lagged behind competitors offering more tiered, fee-based pricing structures.

The policy shift drew significant public criticism at the time from longtime loyal customers, though Southwest executives argued the change was necessary to remain competitive with rivals that had generated substantial ancillary revenue from baggage and seating fees for years.

The end of free bags at Southwest set the stage for the industry-wide baggage fee increases that followed in 2026, as the last major holdout against ancillary bag fees fell in line with the rest of the industry's pricing approach.