Do you think Southwest Airlines will reconsider removing its signature Bags Fly Free feature? Given some of the vagaries of the announcement, are they testing the waters to see how customers respond? Will Southwest change its mind? Will the Airline of Love (or LUV) have a change of heart?
Major Southwest Changes
Southwest told us back in September 2024 that the airline’s open seating practice is ending.
Okay, but when?
“Early 2026” is the clearest answer.
CUT TO: It’s mid-March. We still don’t have an exact date. (The Southwest schedule isn’t bookable past October 2025 anyway.)
On March 10, we received the game changer that Southwest is ending its “Bags Fly Free” feature that allows passengers to check their first two bags for free. That takes effect for flights booked on or after May 28. Business Select passengers and A-List Preferred members will continue to enjoy two free bags, A-List members and Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card members each get one checked bag free. But will multiple passengers traveling on the Southwest credit card holder’s itinerary receive the first checked bag free? (Most cobranded airline credit cards allow up to eight additional passengers on the card holder’s confirmation number to check their first bag at no nominal cost.) We’ve asked and not received answers.
In fact, how much will checked bags even cost?
And what will happen to the open seating-related features on some of the credit cards? (i.e., priority boarding purchase statement credits, etc.)
Eh, they’ll figure it out and announce it sometime.
When? Later. They’ll let us know sometime.
Is it just me or does Southwest’s lack of information seem weird? Doesn’t it feel disorganized and non-transparent?
I know people who have rushed announcements and issued press releases before all of a project’s pertinent details were decided. They simply wanted the news out there and gin up publicity (and money) because they couldn’t wait. In each instance, they either failed and/or looked pretty dumb for a while.
(It’s possible that the news about no more free bags leaked to media outlets. Perhaps a news organization, blog, podcast, whatever, received solid confirmation from Southwest-related sources and planned to run the story. Maybe Southwest tried to get ahead of it and hastily made the announcements themselves — despite leaving us with multiple questions.)
Companies generally present all the details up front when announcing significant changes. Airlines do it all the time when they “enhance” their programs. Delta’s infamous SkyMiles changes that dropped in 2023 come to mind. Sure, there were a few minor questions that Delta deep divers (read: we nerds) came up with and wanted answered.
But the broad strokes, the big stuff was all there: how many elite dollars it would take to earn which status tiers, new credit card earning structures, and amended lounge access policies.
Delta didn’t simply say, “So, yeah, we’re gonna change to a completely revenue-based system for our Medallion program pretty soon. Oh, and we’re reducing how many times you can get into Sky Clubs. Some changes take effect maybe in a couple of years. Others start in two months! Stay tuned! Remember to Like and Subscribe!”
But that brings me wonder:
Is There a Contingency Plan for Southwest’s Changes?
Delta’s Medallion program announcement was wildly unpopular. People were so mad that it made national headlines. Delta CEO Ed Bastian got grilled onstage at a Rotary Club meeting — with audience members chiming in.
It was bad.
So, Delta (wisely) made “changes to the changes.” All of the newer details still weren’t fantastic — but most were fair and much better than before. A few were superseded our expectations.
How Southwest made its changes — essentially stripping the airline of its signature qualities that made Southwest, well, Southwest, — makes me wonder if the braintrust is haphazardly yet consciously “pulling a Delta.” Are Southwest CEO Bob Jordan and the airline’s investors waiting to see how bad the blowback will be?
Is that why they haven’t announced how much the first and second checked bags will cost? Why haven’t they told us how the credit card features will change when assigned seating comes along, and how many passengers will get free checked bags on a card member’s itinerary?
Could everyone be unwitting participants in a focus group?
I wouldn’t be surprised if Southwest returned and said, Hold on, everyone. We heard you and we heart you. (Again, they’re the Airline of Love) Checked bags flying free has been a core feature of Southwest Airlines since Herb Kelleher launched this great airline. We want to keep you, our customer and friend, part of our Southwest family — and ensure you’re happy. So, we’ve decided that each passenger’s first checked bag will be free.
This would save a little face and keep some of Southwest’s identity. Plus, the airline could give two checked bags free to its A-List Preferred, A-List, and credit card members. It still drives some people toward those elite status tiers or becoming credit card members.
As I wrote in a previous post, how many passengers really need to check two bags?
I’m not saying this will happen. But it wouldn’t surprise me.
Final Approach
Southwest has been vague with its major announcements. Are they gauging public reaction before going further? Does this give them some leeway to make changes? Do you expect them to do anything?
Please share your thoughts in the below Comments section!
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Anything could happen but I don’t think they are going to backtrack on this, it was handled in a haphazard way without details that is for sure. I’m sure they knew the news was not going to be well received.
I too don’t think they’ll back track on this. Charging for bags generates MILLIONS of dollars in extra, untaxed revenue. The “new guys” are just in it for the money.
I think it makes sense for SWA to start charging for the second bag. That was an extremely generous offering, and of course a big differentiator. But going to no bags fly free is a) trashing their decades of branding, and b) will wreck their turn times as SWA passengers do what ppl do on every other airline: maximize carryon size & quantity and take for ever to board & deboard.
The free checked baggage was a big differentiator. SWA’s fares are not competitive with the low-cost airlines (i.e., Spirit, Frontier), and I think dropping the free bags will lead to lower prices on SWA flights. We’ll see.
I hope they let 1 free bag that would make sense…
I have 47 tickets presently and 30 flight credits. If they remove the right for me to utilize flight credits indefinitely, per the terms I bought those tickets, they should be immediately refundable in cash, or that seems pretty obviously consumer fraud when Southwest sold me the tickets. Have the class action lawyer email all of us A-list members.
I agree. Maybe those credits won’t expire. The information release has been so odd.
Keeping free checked bags is the only benefit to flying SWA. Otherwise, they are just another airline trying to use greed to justify their checked bag policy.
How about instead of charging for checked luggage, they charge for carry-ons? I am always amazed how many people bring on what I consider to be a regular size bag that clog up the overhead bins. Just a thought…
Already canceled One credit card and looking at canceling the other. Minimally will be significantly downgrading it, between the bags and the way they’re doing the points now, as well they’re no longer price competitive even prior to that, time to use the others, was willing to put up with some of it but no longer, 30 plus Year card holder gone
Without the no fee checked 2 bags I won’t be flying Southwest anymore.
I agree. When I signed up for the Southwest credit card, I was all in. After my next flight in June, I will not be using Southwest. What they are doing will ruin this airline.
Flights in Southwest in St. Louis are normally higher or the same price compare to other airlines. If they start charging for assigned seats and bag check then there is no reason for me to even bother to fly on Southwest.
My husband & I fly Southwest from St Louis to travel out west & visit family. We go for 2 or 3 weeks at a time. Those 2 bags fly free are the reason we fly SW and never take carry-ons. Staying 14-21 days mean we each need 2 bags. And the no fee changing flights have saved us a few times when illness or family emergencies have changed our plans. Guess we will fly less or try other airlines such as JetBlue, or Allegent.
This was the main reason for flying swa!!! I will never fly with them again if this stands!!!
I have mixed feelings about changing from open seating to seat selection when booking. Two free bags has been great, but I could live with 1 free bag, with second one free for high level rewards members and branded credit card. No info on carryon, which will also be a dealbraker as American and Delta offer this.
I have been a Rapids Rewards member and user of Southwest Credit Card for many, many years. I used to fly Southwest all the time. Fares on Southwest have been higher than other lowcost airlines for several years now and price matters to me. No bag fees were helpful, but didn’t make up for higher fares. I have started using other airlines more frequently, particularly Allegiant. Even paying for seat assignments and bags, Allegiant costs less and flights are always direct.The changes SWA is making has me definitely considering flying it less often, and using my SWA credit card less as their new point system makes it tougher to use benifits of their rewards program.
If I got to pay for my bag, I might as well fly Delta. So no more southwest for me.
We have been loyal customers for decades and only fly Southwest if they have flights to where we are going due to the open seating and 2 free checked bags. Based on the upcoming changes, we will look to other airlines before booking if they start charging for bags and get rid of the open seating..
I was a faithful SWA user for all my ski trips since my bag and my skis could fly free. I would book early knowing that I could rebook if the prices dropped, and although I rarely used it, free cancelation was always an option if the snow was really bad. I’m so disappointed in these new policies.
Now that SWA is gonna be like all the others, mark my word its a matter of time before airline is sold/merged. Investors take money and airline disappears/absorbed into another major airline. We’ll once again be talking about “the good old days” when flying was fun and employees enjoyed their job and passengers were polite.
I think 1 checked bag free and charge for additional checked bags.
Rapid Rewards and credits should never expire. (Should be illegal like gift cards).
They just don’t offer the same as other airlines as far as comfort or food. However there leg room up to now beats all others. I’m sure that will change unfortunately. Called GREED!!
SWA is no Trump. It’s going to happen, and it needed to in order to stop leaving money on the table.
SWA will no longer have a viable value proposition with no free bags and pay for a seat. No longer a compelling reason to fly SWA. So I’ll only fly SWA if they’re cheaper. And for a long time now they haven’t been the cheapest. Good luck SWA.
Remember there was a time when no airline charged to check bags? Charging for a service that was previously included at no extra cost is just greed. Nobody likes to be nickel and dimed by a greedy corporation. They are not leaving money on the table they were never greedy, until now.
I always fly swa because of the free bags. I do have the swa cc, but still. WHY THE FREEEEKIN GREED! COME ON