Personal Finance News
Southwest Airlines Reveals New Checked Baggage Fees
With Southwest Airlines’ new baggage policy now in effect, the carrier has revealed its pricing for checked luggage.
About Southwest’s Checked Bag Fees:
In March, Southwest announced that it would be discontinuing its popular no checked baggage fees perk for many travelers. However, at the time, they didn’t state how much they would be charging for this formerly free option. Now, with the updated policy applying to flights booked today forward, the airline has revealed the cost of first and second checked bags.
While Southwest passengers will still be entitled to one free carry-on as well as one personal item, their first checked bag will now have a $35 fee. Checking a second bag will result in an additional $45 fee. A $150 fee applies to the third checked bag, which was also the case prior to this update.
With these new fees in place, Southwest is offering ways for its loyal customers to avoid this expense. First, Rapid Rewards A-List members get one free checked bag for themselves and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation (a second checked bag is $35 per passenger) while A-List Preferred Members get two free checked bags for themselves and their traveling party. Additionally, those with a Rapid Rewards Credit Card can enjoy one free checked bag — which, again, applies to the cardholders and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservations. However, cardholders will be charged $45 for a second checked bag.
In Context:
Southwest’s checked baggage fees are perfectly in line with major competitors. Carriers including Delta, American, United, and Alaska also charge $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second. However, some airlines charge higher fees if these bag fees aren’t paid for ahead of time.
My Thoughts:
It’s both surprising and unsurprising that Southwest chose to match the going rate for checked luggage after ending its long-held “bags fly free” feature. While I personally figured this is about how they would approach pricing, part of me thought that, perhaps, they’d at least try to undercut their competitors in a bid to stand out. Instead, it seems they are just completely surrendering their identity.
Having said that, if you fly Southwest with any regularity and enjoy checking luggage, then it likely makes sense to get one of their co-branded credit cards. This is even more true if you’re traveling with family, as the free bag perk will apply to up to eight other people on your reservation, potentially saving you up to $315 per way (nine passengers times a $35 first checked bag fee).
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