Southwest Airways touts itself because the airline that “luvs” its prospects — however it’s had a change of coronary heart about its “luggage fly free” coverage.
Southwest has lengthy been the one home airline the place each passenger — no matter standing, fare class and even the bank cards of their pockets — can test two luggage totally free. However the Dallas-based airline introduced Tuesday that starting Might 28, most passengers should pay for checked luggage after they fly Southwest.
That is the most recent in a string of upcoming adjustments that additionally contains assigned seating (dangerous), a brand new rewards incomes construction (dangerous) and a global airline partnership (good). It is disappointing, to say the least, however there are nonetheless a couple of methods to keep away from paying for checked luggage if you fly Southwest.
Here is what you should know in regards to the new coverage, together with keep away from Southwest’s new checked bag charges.
Southwest’s checked bag coverage
For bookings made earlier than Might 28, your first two checked luggage will proceed to fly free in the event that they match throughout the allowed weight and dimension limits. This is applicable to all fare sorts.
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For bookings made on or after Might 28, most Southwest passengers should pay to test a bag. Beneath the brand new coverage, Southwest Speedy Rewards A-Checklist members and Southwest Speedy Rewards bank card holders will get one free checked bag, and Speedy Rewards A-Checklist Most popular members and passengers who buy a Enterprise Choose fare will proceed to get their first two checked luggage free.
All different passengers should pay for checked luggage.
Tips on how to keep away from Southwest baggage charges
With these adjustments, most Southwest passengers can be required to pay for checked luggage. Listed here are a couple of suggestions for lessening or avoiding that charge altogether.
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Get a Southwest Speedy Rewards bank card
Should you maintain one among Southwest’s cobranded bank cards, you may nonetheless get your first checked bag free. This profit will lengthen to as much as eight company flying on the identical reservation.
Associated: Present Southwest card gives
Southwest gives a number of private and enterprise playing cards. Should you’re in search of a card with a low annual charge, the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Plus Credit score Card has a $69 annual charge and comes with extra perks like two free EarlyBird Verify-Ins yearly and a 3,000-point bonus on each cardmember anniversary.
Should you’re a frequent Southwest flyer, it’s possible you’ll get much more advantages from the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card. This card has a $149 annual charge however comes with a better incomes price on Southwest purchases, an annual $75 Southwest credit score, 4 upgraded boardings per 12 months and a 7,500-point bonus on every cardmember anniversary, amongst different perks.
Each playing cards will guarantee your first checked bag is free when flying with Southwest.
Earn Southwest A-Checklist or A-Checklist Most popular standing
Passengers with elite standing will nonetheless get at the least one free checked bag on Southwest. A-Checklist members will get their first checked bag free, and A-Checklist Most popular members will get two.
The excellent news for A-Checklist members is that lots of Southwest’s upcoming adjustments reward elite standing holders. As soon as Southwest debuts assigned seating and premium seating, A-Checklist members will be capable of choose standard-legroom seats at reserving and extra-legroom seats inside 48 hours of departure for no extra price. A-Checklist Most popular members will be capable of choose from all seats, together with extra-legroom seats, at reserving totally free.
Associated: Southwest A-Checklist standing: What it’s and earn it
To qualify, you should take a sure variety of Southwest flights or earn a sure variety of tier qualifying factors per 12 months. You may earn TQPs on flights or through spending on one among Southwest’s cobranded bank cards.
Here is qualify for every degree:
- A-Checklist: 20 one-way qualifying flight segments or 35,000 tier qualifying factors
- A-Checklist Most popular: 40 one-way qualifying flight segments or 70,000 tier qualifying factors
A handful of Southwest’s cobranded bank cards may provide you with a lift of 1,500 TQPs towards A-Checklist standing for each $5,000 spent yearly, with no restrict to the variety of TQPs you may earn:
When mixed with frequent Southwest flights and/or bank card spending, this can provide you a good head begin towards incomes A-Checklist standing.
The data for the Southwest Speedy Rewards Premier Credit score Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Pay in your baggage with a journey rewards card
Sure journey rewards bank cards may help you cowl the price of travel-related bills, together with checked bag charges. Listed here are a couple of of our favorites:
Associated: The very best bank cards with airline charge credit
Pack all the things in a carry-on
With Southwest’s carry-on pointers, you’re allowed as much as one carry-on bag and one small, private merchandise — all for no additional charge. Southwest counts pet carriers as your private merchandise or carry-on, and you will additionally have to pay an additional pet-in-cabin charge.
Your carry-on merchandise might be saved within the overhead compartment on the aircraft and should be no bigger than 24 inches lengthy by 16 inches large by 10 inches tall.
Private objects embody purses, briefcases, backpacks, digital camera luggage, laptop computer luggage, blankets and pillows (excluding neck pillows). These smaller objects might be saved below the seat in entrance of you and must be no bigger than 16.25 inches lengthy by 13.5 inches large by 8 inches tall (as that’s the dimension of the house beneath Southwest seats).
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There are some objects that Southwest does not depend as private objects or carry-on objects. Along with your private and carry-on objects, you can even deliver the next on board for no additional price:
- A toddler restraint system
- Assistive/mobility units for people with a incapacity (there is not any restrict to the variety of assistive/mobility units you may deliver on board)
- Outer clothes or different wearable articles of clothes
- Meals in disposable packaging
- Strolling canes or umbrellas
Southwest checked bag dimension and weight limits
When flying Southwest, every checked bag ought to weigh 50 kilos or much less and be 62 inches in dimension (the sum of the bag’s size, width and top) or smaller.
The airline does have particular pointers for sporting tools and oversize or obese objects, however these will change Might 28. Listed here are the present pointers:
Sporting tools
Southwest permits skis, golf luggage and even surfboards to fly as checked luggage so long as they don’t exceed the peak and weight necessities. For snow tools, you’re allowed one pair of skis or one snowboard, a set of poles, and one pair of ski/snowboard boots. You may pack these into one or two luggage and it’ll nonetheless solely depend as one checked bag.
In case your sporting tools weighs greater than 50 kilos or is bigger than 62 inches, it will likely be topic to Southwest’s obese and oversize baggage charges.
Chubby and oversize Southwest baggage charges
In case your bag is heavier or bigger than allowed, Southwest will cost you $150 per bag every approach for luggage between 51 and 70 kilos, and $200 per bag every approach for luggage between 71 and 100 kilos. Baggage between 63 and 80 inches in complete dimension will incur a charge of $200 per bag.
There are two occasions when Southwest will waive the obese or oversize baggage charge:
- You’re a member of the army touring on energetic obligation or everlasting change of station orders.
- You’re checking massive media digital camera tools.
Nonetheless, you should ship any bag weighing greater than 100 kilos or exceeding 80 inches (the sum of the bag’s size, width and top) as cargo. Additionally, no passenger (together with active-duty army members) can test greater than 20 items of luggage per flight.
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Backside line
Since its inception, Southwest has had among the finest baggage insurance policies by far — till now. Starting Might 28, most vacationers can be caught paying for checked luggage. However the following pointers may help alleviate the out-of-pocket price (and the emotional sting), and a few may even web you extra journey perks.
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