It’s the last chance for Southwest plane tickets with two free checked bags, as policy ends in days

Passengers check in for Southwest Airlines flights at Chicago Midway International Airport on Feb. 18, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
Scott Olson | Getty Images
Set your alarm. Southwest Airlines customers have only one day to go before the company starts charging to check bags for the first time in more than half a century.
Starting Wednesday, Southwest will end its blanket “two bags fly free” policy.
It was a perk that was sacrosanct among customers and the airlines’ longtime executives alike, setting the airline apart from competitors. But baggage fees brought in nearly $7.3 billion for U.S. airlines last year, according to federal data, and Southwest executives who have long vowed to hold onto the policy have been under pressure to raise revenue.
The airline hasn’t yet said how much it will charge to check bags, but rivals generally charge about $35 or $40 for a first checked bag for domestic flights, though there are some exceptions.
Along with starting to charge for checked bags, Southwest has announced major changes to its business model over the past year, like getting rid of open seating. The carrier is also debuting basic-economy tickets like those sold by Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines on Wednesday.
Here’s what travelers should know about the end of free bags on Southwest:
Elliott Investment Management, which took a stake in the airline last year and won five board seats, pushing for major changes at the company like its free checked bags, changeable tickets and open seating.
extra legroom seats, like many of its competitors, that fetch higher prices.
Boeing fleet, which should help with an influx of carry-on bags.
Executives have also said staff will get mobile bag-tag printers at gates and airport lobbies to assist customers.
Bob Jordan told CNBC last month that the policy change announcement the company made on March 11 hasn’t deterred customers.
“We have seen no book-down on that day or after that day,” he said on “Squawk on the Street” on April 24.