Southwest’s Bag Fee Twist: Why Paying More for Your Luggage Could Be the New Travel Workout You Didn’t See Coming
Remember when Southwest Airlines proudly declared “bags fly free”—a rare gem in the sky-bound world of nickel-and-diming passengers for every checked bag? Well, that era vanished less than a year ago, and now, the airline is not just charging for your bags but is also hiking those fees by a full $10 starting April 9. That’s a near 28% increase, and it’s hitting wallets across the board, including a price bump on second checked bags as well. With jet fuel prices soaring like an impatient eagle, airlines are spinning a costly yarn, and Southwest, once a bastion against baggage fees, has finally joined the club of rising costs. It makes you wonder—how much longer will airlines keep stretching our patience (and our budgets) before the skies demand something else from us? Dive into the evolving saga of travel fees and what it means for your next trip. LEARN MORE
It’s been less than a year since Southwest Airlines ended its longtime “bags fly free” policy and started charging most customers to check a bag.
Now, the airline is raising its prices.
Southwest just revealed the cost to check a bag will rise from $35 to $45 beginning with tickets booked later this week. That’s a jump of $10, or about 28%.
The changes will apply to all tickets booked from Thursday, April 9, and beyond.
The Dallas-based carrier also hiked fees for customers’ second checked bag by $10.
The move comes as airlines have faced skyrocketing jet fuel costs amid a rapid run-up in global oil prices.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Southwest attributed this week’s fee hike to “an ongoing analysis of the business and against the evolving global backdrop.”
The move comes after JetBlue and United Airlines already announced higher baggage fees last week. And Delta Air Lines followed suit on Tuesday.
U.S. airlines have historically tended to follow one another in hiking luggage prices.
Southwest, though, was previously immune from that industry trend for many years as it let all customers check two bags for free. But that policy ended last May amid a larger transformation of the airline’s policies, which included launching assigned seating in January.
Now, the airline has implemented bag fees — and raised them — in less than a year’s time.
Keep in mind, A-List members of the airline’s Rapid Rewards loyalty program will maintain their baggage perks, as will customers who carry a Southwest cobranded credit card.
As of Tuesday evening, three of the four largest U.S. carriers had hiked bag fees within the past week — with American Airlines (for now, at least) the lone holdout.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Brayhoo Dog Tags Personalized for Pets — Custom Deeply Engraved, Lightweight, Silent Silicone Name ID Tags — No More Jingling
$7.99 (as of April 8, 2026 02:21 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
PetPivot Open Top Self Cleaning Cat Litter Box, Automatic Litter Box with 7 Pairs of Safety Sensors, Anti-Pinch Protection and Easy Access Step for Senior Cats, Dark Grey
$129.99 (as of April 8, 2026 02:21 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Dunkin’ Zero Sugar Refreshers Singles To Go! Powdered drink mix packets, 40 Ct Variety Pack, 40 Single serve Packets per Box (40 servings), Energy from Green Tea, aspartame-free, no synthetic colors, naturally and artificially flavored, just add water
$12.98 (as of April 8, 2026 02:21 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Dell 65W USB-C Laptop Charger for XPS and Latitude 5000 - Power Cord Included
$21.89 (as of April 8, 2026 02:31 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Post Comment