Southwest Airlines to end free checked luggage policy

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Southwest Airlines volition nary longer let bags to alert free. The hose announced Tuesday that it volition statesman charging immoderate customers who cheque luggage successful May.

The hose volition proceed to connection 2 escaped checked bags to Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members arsenic good arsenic passengers flying connected Business Select fares. One escaped checked container volition beryllium allowed for A-List Members, portion 1 checked container volition beryllium credited for Rapid Rewards Credit Card members.

All different customers who bash not suffice for the escaped container options volition beryllium charged opening May 28. The hose did not specify however overmuch it would outgo to cheque a bag.

Southwest volition besides statesman offering a basal fare connected its lowest-priced tickets successful beforehand of offering assigned seating and other legroom options. The hose antecedently announced it would begin assigning seats to passengers connected flights successful the archetypal fractional of 2026.

The changes "create caller opportunities to scope customers who worth fare supra everything else," the hose said successful a property merchandise Tuesday.

"We person tremendous accidental to conscionable existent and aboriginal lawsuit needs, pull caller lawsuit segments we don’t vie for today, and instrumentality to the levels of profitability that some we and our shareholders expect," Southwest President and CEO Bob Jordan said successful the property release.