Southwest Baggage Allowance 2026: Are the Two Free Bags Really Gone?
Estimated reading time: 14 mins
Southwest used to be the airline people picked when they wanted luggage to be simple. You booked the flight, checked two bags, carried on a bag, and got on with your life. It was almost suspiciously calm by airline standards.
Now? You need to check the fare, booking date, status, credit card benefits and route before assuming checked bags are included. Lovely. Progress, apparently.
The short answer is this: the famous two-free-bags rule has not disappeared for everyone, but it has gone for many regular passengers. Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares now usually come with checked-bag fees on affected bookings. Choice Extra passengers, A-List Preferred members, active-duty military customers and some Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings can still get two checked bags free.
So yes, Southwest baggage allowance 2026 is still manageable. But it is no longer the wonderfully lazy “bags fly free for everyone” situation travellers knew for years.
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Southwest Airlines Baggage Allowance : Quick Facts at a Glance
✅ Southwest still allows one carry-on bag and one personal item for free.
✅ The carry-on bag limit is 24 x 16 x 10 inches, including wheels and handles.
✅ The personal item must fit under the seat in front of you.
✅ Standard checked bags are usually limited to 50 lb and 62 linear inches.
✅ Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares usually pay checked-bag fees on affected bookings.
✅ Current U.S. mainland checked-bag fees are $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second on many paid-bag fares.
✅ Choice Extra fares still include two free checked bags.
✅ Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members still get two free checked bags.
✅ Rapid Rewards A-List members usually get the first checked bag free, but not always the second.
✅ Eligible Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers may get the first checked bag free for themselves and up to eight passengers on the same reservation.
✅ Hawaii interisland flights have separate baggage pricing and resident benefits.
✅ Oversized and overweight charges can stack on top of standard bag fees, which is where the bill starts getting ugly.
👉 Good to know: Prices and rules correct as of 2026. Always check your own booking before travel, because Southwest states fees may change.
Southwest Airlines Luggage Allowance Quick Q&As
Are Southwest’s two free checked bags gone?
For many ordinary passengers, yes. Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares now usually come with checked-bag fees on affected bookings, but some travellers still get two checked bags free.
Does Southwest still allow a free carry-on?
Yes. Southwest still allows one carry-on bag and one personal item free.
How much does Southwest charge for checked bags?
For many U.S. mainland bookings made, changed or ticketed on or after 9 April 2026, Southwest lists $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second.
Who still gets two free checked bags on Southwest?
Choice Extra passengers, Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members, active-duty military customers and some Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings may still get two checked bags free.
Do Rapid Rewards members get free bags?
A-List Preferred members get two free checked bags. A-List members usually get the first checked bag free, but may pay for the second.
What size checked bag does Southwest allow?
A standard checked bag should stay within 50 lb and 62 linear inches, meaning length plus width plus height.
What happens if my Southwest bag is overweight?
You may pay overweight charges on top of your standard checked-bag fee. Very annoying, very avoidable.
Is Southwest still good value after the baggage changes?
It can be, but only if you compare the total trip cost. My rule with U.S. airlines is boring but effective: price the fare with bags before deciding it is cheap.
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: If you need a checked suitcase, do not compare Southwest against Delta, American, United, Spirit or Frontier by headline fare alone. Add the bag cost first, then judge.
🔥 Airline Articles: All Airline Baggage Guides
Southwest Airlines baggage allowance: the quick answer
The Southwest baggage allowance rules are still generous in the cabin. Every passenger can bring one carry-on bag and one personal item free. That is useful for short trips, business hops, weekend breaks and anyone who has learned to pack like a mildly ruthless adult.
Checked baggage is the big change. On many U.S. mainland bookings made, ticketed or changed on or after 9 April 2026, Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred passengers pay for checked bags. Choice Extra passengers still get two free checked bags, and certain status, card, military and vacation package benefits can still remove some or all checked-bag charges.
The tricky bit is that Southwest used to be the easy one. Now it is still fairly workable, but only if you read the fare properly before paying. If you are comparing it with other airlines, our Delta baggage allowance guide and JetBlue baggage allowance guide are useful for checking how U.S. airline baggage fees now stack up.
💡 Fact: Southwest still gives every passenger free cabin baggage. The checked-bag change is the part that catches people out.
✈️ Official Luggage info: Southwest Airlines baggage allowance
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So, are Southwest’s two free bags really gone?
Yes, for many travellers. No, not for everyone. Annoying answer, but accurate.
The old blanket rule, where passengers could assume two checked bags were included with a Southwest ticket, is no longer the default. Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred passengers now need to budget for checked-bag fees on affected bookings. If you last flew Southwest a few years ago, this is the part worth relearning before you book.
But two free checked bags still exist in certain cases. Choice Extra fares include two free checked bags. Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members get two. Active-duty military customers get checked bags free. Some Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings may also include both the first and second checked bag.
So the famous perk has not vanished completely. It has moved behind fare types, benefits and small print. Classic airline behaviour, really.
For broader airline fee comparisons, check out our transport guides hub, especially if you are building a multi-airline trip.
✋🏼 Must do: Check the baggage line in your own booking before you pay, especially if you changed an older reservation.
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Tours & Tickets
What you can still bring for free on Southwest
Southwest still allows one carry-on bag and one personal item free. That part remains nice and simple, which is honestly a relief.
Your carry-on bag goes in the overhead bin. Southwest lists the carry-on size limit as 24 x 16 x 10 inches, including wheels and handles. That is larger than some other airline cabin bag limits, so light packers still have a decent amount of space to work with.
Your personal item goes under the seat in front of you. Think laptop bag, small backpack, handbag, compact camera bag or slim tote. Do not treat the personal item as a second suitcase with ambition. If it cannot fit under the seat, you may end up dealing with a gate issue.
For UK travellers connecting after a long-haul flight, check each airline separately. Your transatlantic airline may include a checked bag, while a separate Southwest domestic booking may not. Our Virgin Atlantic baggage allowance guide and British Airways baggage allowance guide are handy if you are matching long-haul baggage rules with a U.S. domestic leg.
👉 Good to know: Keep medication, passports, chargers, valuables, keys and one spare outfit in your personal item. Checked bags are useful. They are not where your trip essentials belong.
🚕 Landing tired and don’t want to queue for a taxi or transfer? Book an airport transfer before you fly. Future-you will thank present-you.
Southwest checked bag fees by fare type
The fare name matters now. That is the boring sentence that can save you money.
Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares usually charge for checked bags on affected bookings. Choice Extra is the cleaner option if you want two checked bags included. A-List Preferred and active-duty military benefits are still strong. A-List and eligible Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmember benefits usually help with the first checked bag, but not always the second.
| Traveller or fare type | First checked bag | Second checked bag | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $45 | $55 | Cheap-looking fare, but bags can change the real price. |
| Choice | $45 | $55 | More flexible than Basic, but checked bags may still cost extra. |
| Choice Preferred | $45 | $55 | Extra fare benefits, but not automatic free checked bags. |
| Choice Extra | Free | Free | Best fit if you definitely need two checked bags. |
| A-List | Free | May cost extra | Good benefit, but not the old two-bag default. |
| A-List Preferred | Free | Free | One of the cleanest ways to keep two bags included. |
| Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers | Free, if eligible | Usually paid | Rapid Rewards number must be in the booking. |
| Active-duty military | Free | Free | Bring valid military ID and check the latest wording before travel. |
Who still gets two checked bags free?
Two free checked bags still exist. They are just no longer handed to every passenger as standard.
Choice Extra passengers get two checked bags included. Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members also get two free checked bags, and that benefit can extend to additional passengers on the same reservation under Southwest’s stated conditions. Active-duty military customers get checked bags free too.
Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings are also worth checking. Southwest’s fee page currently shows these bookings may include both the first and second checked bag for each person on the booking. That could be useful for families heading to Florida, Hawaii, Mexico or the Caribbean, where one suitcase somehow becomes three because someone packed “just a few extras”.
Companion Pass benefits can also follow the qualifying member’s bag benefit in some cases. Still, do not rely on that from memory. Check the reservation, names, fare and account details.
If you are planning a U.S. trip around Southwest routes, our USA travel guide hub is a useful starting point before you build the route around flight times alone.
💡 Fact: Two free bags are not extinct on Southwest. They are just no longer the standard assumption for every ticket.
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Who gets one checked bag free?
A-List members usually get the first checked bag free. Eligible Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers may also get the first checked bag free for themselves and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
That “same reservation” wording matters. So does adding the Rapid Rewards number at booking. If the number is missing, the system may not recognise the benefit properly, and then you are left sorting it at the airport while the queue behind you slowly loses the will to live.
The first-bag benefit is still valuable. For a couple or family, one free checked bag each way can save a decent amount. But it is not the same as the old Southwest setup, where two bags were included by default.
For delayed, damaged or missing luggage worries, it is worth checking your policy before travel. A decent travel insurance policy can help with certain baggage problems, but exclusions matter. Read the dull bits. Future You may be grateful.
👉 Good to know: Card and status benefits may not apply on partner-carrier bookings, so check the operating airline if your trip is not purely Southwest.
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Southwest bag size and weight limits
A standard Southwest checked bag should be no more than 50 lb, which is about 22.7 kg. It should also be no more than 62 linear inches.
Linear inches means length plus width plus height. Southwest includes wheels and handles in that measurement, which is the part people forget.
Here is a simple example. A suitcase measuring 28 inches high, 18 inches wide and 11 inches deep comes to 57 linear inches. That is under the 62-inch standard checked-bag limit. But if the wheels, handle bump or bulging front pocket add a few sneaky inches, you could drift closer to oversized territory.
Measure at home. Not at the airport. Not with blind optimism. Not by saying “it was fine last time” while the agent reaches for the tape measure.
The weight limit deserves the same respect. A bag at 51 lb is not “basically 50”. It is a fee-shaped problem with a zip.
✋🏼 Must do: Weigh your suitcase before leaving for the airport. Bathroom scales are not glamorous, but neither is repacking jeans beside a check-in desk.
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Overweight, oversized and extra bag fees
Standard checked-bag fees are only part of the story. Oversized, overweight and extra bag charges can sit on top of them. That is where a fairly normal luggage plan can become expensive fast.
Southwest currently lists a third or additional checked bag at $150 on many U.S. mainland bookings. Oversized bags from 63 to 80 inches are listed at $200 plus the standard checked-bag fee. Overweight bags from 51 to 70 lb are listed at $100 plus the standard fee, while 71 to 100 lb rises to $200 plus the standard fee.
| Bag issue | Current listed charge | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| First checked bag on many paid-bag fares | $45 | Add this before comparing fares. |
| Second checked bag on many paid-bag fares | $55 | A return trip with two bags can add up quickly. |
| Third or additional checked bag | $150 | Families and long trips need to watch this carefully. |
| Overweight, 51 to 70 lb | $100 plus standard fee | That extra pair of boots can become expensive. |
| Overweight, 71 to 100 lb | $200 plus standard fee | At this point, shipping may be less painful. |
| Oversized, 63 to 80 inches | $200 plus standard fee | Measure the full bag, including wheels and handles. |
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: Two normal-sized checked bags can be cheaper than one overstuffed suitcase that drifts into oversized or overweight territory.
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Southwest baggage rules for Hawaii interisland flights
Hawaii interisland flights have separate baggage pricing. That is exactly the sort of detail people miss when building a multi-island trip across Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.
For interisland Hawaii travel booked, ticketed or changed on or after 9 April 2026, Southwest lists different baggage pricing for Hawaii residents and non-Hawaii residents. Hawaii residents can still get the first and second checked bag free on eligible interisland travel. Non-Hawaii residents may pay lower interisland checked-bag fees than the U.S. mainland structure.
For non-Hawaii residents travelling only between Hawaiian islands, Southwest currently lists $30 for the first checked bag and $40 for the second. A-List and A-List Preferred benefits can also affect the final price.
The practical point: do not assume your Los Angeles to Honolulu baggage setup is the same as Honolulu to Kona. It may not be.
If you are turning a Southwest flight into a longer U.S. trip, build the land side properly too. A well-placed hotel can save more hassle than a slightly cheaper flight, so it is worth comparing stays through Booking.com once the route makes sense.
👉 Good to know: If your Hawaii trip includes several islands, price every flight segment with bags. The small hops are where costs creep in.
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Sports equipment, musical instruments and odd-shaped bags
Southwest can still be useful for sports-heavy trips, but special items are not a free-for-all. Golf clubs, skis, snowboards, surfboards, fishing gear, hockey kit and other sports equipment can often travel as checked baggage, but standard checked-bag fees may apply.
Some sports equipment has oversized fees waived in certain situations, but overweight fees can still apply. Translation: a long item might be fine on size but expensive if it tips over the weight limit.
Musical instruments have their own logic. Small instruments may count as your carry-on if they fit the cabin rules and space is available. Larger instruments may need to be checked or carried with a purchased seat, depending on size and safety rules.
Families still get useful help. Southwest allows one stroller and one car seat or child restraint system to be checked free per eligible child. That is genuinely handy if you are travelling with a toddler, snacks, spare clothes and the thousand-yard stare of a parent doing airport maths.
The booking mistake that catches people out
The biggest mistake now is comparing Southwest with another airline using only the first fare you see. That worked better when Southwest baggage was simpler. Now it can make the wrong flight look cheaper.
Say Southwest looks $30 cheaper than another carrier. Fine. But if you need one checked bag each way and your fare does not include it, add the bag cost. If you need two checked bags, add both. Then check seat fees, route times, airports, change rules and how much faff you are willing to tolerate.
This matters even more for UK travellers connecting after a long-haul flight. Your checked bag may be included across the Atlantic, then suddenly not included on a separate domestic Southwest booking. Separate tickets mean separate rules. That tiny booking detail can become painfully real at a U.S. airport when you are jet-lagged and emotionally dependent on coffee.
For short-haul fee comparisons, our Vueling baggage allowance guide and Pegasus Airlines baggage allowance guide are useful reminders of how quickly a cheap-looking fare can start collecting extras.
✋🏼 Must do: Compare the full trip cost, not the fare tile. Airline booking pages are very good at making the cheapest number look like the final number. It often is not.
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Southwest baggage checklist before you book
The best way to avoid Southwest baggage fees is not clever packing hacks. It is doing the boring checks before you pay.
Look at the fare type. Add checked-bag fees if you need them. Check if your status or credit card benefit applies. Add your Rapid Rewards number at booking. Weigh the suitcase. Measure it properly. If your route includes Hawaii interisland flights, check those fees separately.
Simple? Yes. Fun? Not really. But it beats learning the rules at the airport with a suitcase on the scale and a card already halfway out of your wallet.
For wider trip planning, our travel planning resources can help you organise the less glamorous bits, flights, luggage, insurance, airport transfers and all the small details that stop a trip going sideways.
| Before booking | Do this | Do not do this |
|---|---|---|
| Checking one bag | Add the first-bag fee to the fare. | Assume Southwest still includes it for everyone. |
| Checking two bags | Compare Choice Extra against lower fares plus bag fees. | Pick the lowest fare without doing the maths. |
| Using card benefits | Add your Rapid Rewards number at booking. | Expect the airport agent to fix it quickly. |
| Packing heavy | Weigh and measure bags at home. | Let a 51 lb suitcase become a $100 lesson. |
| Connecting from abroad | Check each airline’s baggage rules separately. | Assume your long-haul allowance carries over. |
Sources checked
The live baggage details in this guide were checked against these sources:
- Southwest Optional Travel Charges, checked-bag fees, fare-based baggage benefits, Hawaii interisland fees, extra bag charges, Getaways by Southwest baggage notes and active-duty military baggage benefits.
- Southwest Checked Baggage Policy, standard checked-bag size and weight limits, including 50 lb and 62 linear inches.
- Southwest Carry-on and Personal Item Policy, free carry-on allowance and the 24 x 16 x 10 inch carry-on size limit.
- Southwest Fare Types and Benefits, Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred and Choice Extra fare benefit differences.
- Southwest Cardmember Benefits, first checked bag free for eligible Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
- Southwest Sports Equipment and Non-standard Items, special baggage guidance for sports equipment, instruments and odd-shaped items.
Ready to Fly?
The two-free-bags era at Southwest is not fully gone, but it is no longer the default for everyone. That is the key thing to remember.
Southwest can still be a good airline for luggage-light travellers because the free carry-on and personal item allowance remains useful. But if you are checking bags, the old shortcut of “Southwest includes luggage” is no longer safe. You need to check the fare, booking date, status, card benefit, vacation package and route.
My practical advice: price Southwest by total trip cost, not headline fare. If you only need cabin luggage, great. If you need checked bags, work out the real number before booking, not at the airport.
Got a Southwest route, fare type, travel date or awkward baggage situation? Drop it in the comments with how many bags you are taking, and The Travel Tinker can help sense-check the plan.
For more plain-English luggage help, explore our airline baggage guides on TheTravelTinker.com.💬👇🏼
Adventure on,
The Travel Tinker Crew 🌍✨
FAQs
Does Southwest still allow two free checked bags?
Yes, but not for everyone. Choice Extra passengers, Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members, active-duty military customers and some Getaways by Southwest vacation bookings may still get two free checked bags. Many Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred passengers now need to pay checked-bag fees.
Is Southwest Basic fare worth it if I need luggage?
Sometimes, but only after you add the baggage cost. If you need one or two checked bags, compare Basic plus bag fees against Choice Extra or another airline’s fare that includes luggage. The cheapest fare can stop being cheap very quickly.
Do Southwest credit card holders get free checked bags?
Eligible Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers may get the first checked bag free for themselves and up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation. The Rapid Rewards number must be included at booking. The second checked bag may still cost extra.
How strict is Southwest with checked bag weight?
You should assume the 50 lb limit matters. A bag over 50 lb can trigger overweight charges, and heavier bags can cost much more or be refused if they exceed accepted limits. Weigh it at home and save yourself the airport floor repack.
Is Southwest still cheaper than other U.S. airlines after bag fees?
It can be, but not automatically. Southwest still includes a free carry-on and personal item, which helps light packers. If you need checked bags, compare the full cost against Delta, American, United, JetBlue, Spirit and Frontier before booking.
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Nick Harvey
Hi, I am Nick! Thank you for reading! The Travel Tinker is a resource designed to help you navigate the beauty of travel! Tinkering your plans as you browse!
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