Latest news with #A-ListPreferred
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Here's How Much Checked Bags Now Cost With Southwest Airlines — and Who's Exempt From Paying Fees
Southwest Airlines has been an industry disruptor since its formal incorporation in 1967. The low-cost carrier brought innovations such as open seating, free baggage and a famously sunny attitude to the airline industry, attracting legions of followers while helping them save money. Read Next: Learn More: But times have changed since Southwest's heyday, and one of the pillars of its business model — 'bags fly free' — has finally fallen by the wayside. Whether this will ultimately help or hurt the struggling airline remains to be seen. But from a traveler's perspective, here's what you'll need to know in terms of baggage fees and how you might still be able to avoid them. Beginning with flights on May 28 and later, Southwest Airlines will charge $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second. However, these fees are just for the general flying public. There are a handful of ways in which you can save money with the airline and avoid the new baggage fees. Here's how. Find Out: The A-List is Southwest's elite tier. You can become an A-List member by either flying 20 one-way qualifying flight segments or earning 35,000 tier-qualifying points. In addition to providing benefits like priority boarding, priority check-in and a 25% earning bonus, you can also fly your first bag free of charge. Your second checked bag will incur a $35 fee. If you're an A-List Preferred member, which requires 40 one-way qualifying flight segments or 70,000 tier-qualifying points in a single year, your second bag is free of charge as well. In either case, these prices apply to up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation. If you hold the Southwest Airlines Rapid Reward Credit Card, your first checked bag will fly free. However, you must include your Rapid Rewards account number at the time of booking. As with the A-List, up to eight additional passengers on your reservation will enjoy the same benefit. Your second checked bag, however, will cost $45. Another way to avoid the new baggage fees on Southwest Airlines is to fly on a Business Select fare. Unlike with the other two options, the airline's business fare comes with two free bags, not just one. However, as it is a specific fare type, it doesn't apply to any companions on the same reservation unless they also purchase the same Business Select fare. Active-duty military customers with a valid, current military ID can fly with two bags free of charge. The imposition of baggage fees at Southwest Airlines was an unwelcome shock to the airline's flyers. But the famously low-cost airline held out to the very end, as it was the last domestic airline to offer two free checked bags for all customers. Still, there are a number of ways the passengers can avail of free baggage, including by earning status on the airline or buying more expensive fares. Otherwise, you may very well end up paying $35 for your first checked bag and $45 for your second when you fly Southwest. More From GOBankingRates 4 Housing Markets That Have Plummeted in Value Over the Past 5 Years This article originally appeared on Here's How Much Checked Bags Now Cost With Southwest Airlines — and Who's Exempt From Paying Fees Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Southwest Airlines drop free checked bags after 50 years: Here's how much travelers will have to pay
Southwest Airlines is shaking up its travel policies by eliminating free checked bags, a move aimed at boosting revenue. Announced earlier this year, the change brings the carrier's baggage fees in line with major competitors like Delta and American Airlines, marking a shift in strategy for the low-cost operator. Also Read: Walmart plans to open 5 new stores and one Sam's Club: Check out the new locations Southwest Airlines has announced it to pull back its free checked bags policy after more than 50 years. On Tuesday, May 27, the airlines revealed that the budget airline will now charge $35 for a customer's first checked bag and $45 for their second checked bag. The policy revocation has left travellers disappointed as the free checked bags differentiated the airlines from their competitors, as reported by mLive. However, it continues to offer the perks to guests with A-List Preferred status, or those purchasing a Business Select fare still receive two free checked bags. Additionally, travelers holding a Southwest credit card or A-List status in the Rapid Rewards program are entitled to one free checked bag per flight. Also Read: PlayStation Plus June 2025 games announced early by Sony: See the full lineup According to the Associated Press reports, the company has estimated that the service charge will earn them a revenue of $1.5 billion annually. However, the airlines also noted that it will also face a loss of $1.8 billion in business as customers opt other airlines after the change in policy. The budget airline is set to make even further changes as it will soon begin to assign seats. It means that the open boarding system, which was in place for more than 50 years, will also cease to exist. There has been no announcement as to when the switch will happen. Southwest's Rapid Rewards program is also getting an overhaul, with enhanced perks for travelers who purchase Business Select fares or hold higher-tier status. Meanwhile, members buying lower-cost tickets will see a reduction in the number of rewards points they earn.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Southwest Airlines ending free baggage policy — this is how much it'll cost
They're bagging this beloved rule. Southwest Airlines has ended its decades-old 'bags fly free' policy, where passengers were allowed two complimentary checked bags regardless of their ticket fare. Starting tomorrow, passengers aboard the budget carrier will have to pay to store their bags in the cargo hold, One Mile At A Time reported. This drastic break from tradition was originally announced in March as a way to bolster revenue and ward off advances from activist investors. 3 The airline's executives said this change was the wrong move, claiming that they could garner up to $1.5 billion from baggage fees, but that they'd lose $1.8 billion in market share from people who flew the airline because of the perk. AP As dictated by the policy, flyers will reportedly have to pay $35 for one checked bag and $45 for the second one, which is more or less in line with the industry standard. However, some Southwest Airlines patrons will be exempt from the checked bag fees, including customers with A-List Preferred status and those who pay the most premium fare, Livemint reported. Meanwhile, customers with the lower-loyalty A-List status will be able to check one bag for free, as will passengers holding the carrier's co-branded credit card. 3 Southwest is also phasing out their 'first come first serve' seating policy. AP It's unclear how this move will impact Southwest's bottom line. But last year, the airline's executives said this change was the wrong move, claiming that they could garner up to $1.5 billion from baggage fees, but that they'd lose $1.8 billion in market share from people who flew the airline because of the perk. 3 Many experts felt the bag policy was one way Southwest set itself apart from rivals. AP The bosses pointed out that the 'bags fly free' rule was one way Southwest had distinguished itself from the competition, Blade reported. Another was the beloved 'first come first serve' seating policy, which Southwest is phasing out as as well in favor of the more standard assigned seating format. Air travel experts are also skeptical that this policy change will pay dividends. 'I suspect that a couple of years down the road, we'll see that this plan was all a wash, more or less,' said Ben Shlappig of One Mile At A Time. 'I don't think this will be some game changer that massively elevates Southwest's profitability, because the airline is otherwise in a tough position, given demand patterns.' Many customers also took umbrage over the policy change after it was announced in March. 'Call it what you will — boycott, mass exodus, defecting. Can we do that in a massive wave right now?' one person wrote in a Southwest Reddit thread. Another fumed, 'I used to favor [Southwest] for the lack of baggage fees. They definitely will not be my first choice if their prices stay the same.'
Axios
23-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Southwest bag fees go into effect
The LUV airline will start operating a lot like other carriers next week, with checked bag fees and a new fare type with limitations. Why it matters: Southwest has prided itself on its "bags fly free" policy, flexible fares and open seating, but all of those perks are about to change. The Dallas-based carrier announced the new policies two months ago, and its reputation has since taken a hit. The latest: The changes are being rolled out in phases. Starting Wednesday, Southwest will impose checked bag fees for new and updated bookings and introduce a basic fare type that doesn't allow changes, same-day standby or transferable flight credits. Flight credits issued on or after Wednesday will expire in six months or a year, depending on the traveler's fare type, rolling back the airline's three-year-old policy that said flight credits never expire. The fine print: Southwest still hasn't said how much checked bags will cost. Prices will be "in line with industry standards" and will be released closer to Wednesday, the airline tells Axios. Online self-service options will not be available at first, the airline said. Southwest will process checked bag transactions at airports, either with an agent or at a kiosk. Zoom in: Bookings made or changed before Wednesday will still get two free checked bags, Southwest says. Rapid Rewards cardholders and up to eight people on the same reservation can get fees waived for their first bag. Companion pass holders' bag benefits will also extend to their companions. Reality check: Carry-ons are free for everyone. After all, Southwest isn't Spirit. Pro tips: If you need to change an existing booking or book a flight, try doing it this weekend to keep your two free bags. Bookings through Jan. 26 are currently open, which means you can book summer, Thanksgiving and Christmas travel before the bag fees kick in. A-List, A-List Preferred, and Rapid Rewards card members should include their Rapid Rewards number in their reservation to get their free bag benefit.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The airline that just ranked No. 1 for customer satisfaction is already losing loyal fans
If you've flown in the last few years, you probably don't need any data to show you that air travel has been… a lot. But evidently it's not quite as bad as the vibes sometimes suggest: For the first time in years, U.S. flyers are actually feeling better about flying. According to the newly released 2025 J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study, customer satisfaction is up — thanks to improvements in onboard service, aircraft quality, and digital tools that help travelers feel more in control. And the airline that came out on top in the economy category is Southwest Airlines — a budget-friendly carrier known for open seating, free checked bags, and a loyal fan base that's long appreciated its no-nonsense policies. It's the fourth year in a row Southwest has nabbed the honor. (JetBlue ranked second and Delta third.) But there's a big caveat: The data behind Southwest's No. 1 ranking reflects customer experiences before the airline announced a series of major policy changes — including new baggage fees, restrictions on same-day standby, and adjustments to its boarding procedure (beloved by some). In other words, the very things that helped Southwest win over customers are going away. Related story: What's the 333 rule? The genius packing hack that TikTok loves In the low-cost carrier category, Southwest outperformed competitors like Frontier and Spirit by a wide margin. According to J.D. Power, passengers gave Southwest high scores for cost and fees, booking experience, onboard service, and flight crew friendliness. What set the airline apart — even in the budget space — is what it didn't charge for: two free checked bags, no change fees, and the ability to cancel or rebook with minimal friction. Even the lack of assigned seating worked in Southwest's favor, thanks to its streamlined boarding process and transparency. In recent months, however, Southwest has rolled out changes that could make it harder for the airline to hold onto its reputation for value and flexibility. Southwest has long stood out from the pack thanks to its famously generous policies: no change fees, no cancellation penalties, and perhaps most famously, two free checked bags for every passenger — a perk that's practically unheard of among major U.S. airlines. But that's changing for tickets booked after May 27, along with a host of other Southwest Airlines policy changes sure to be unpopular among travelers, including: Checked baggage fees: Southwest is now charging for checked bags for most customers, with exceptions for Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members, Business Select customers, A-List members, and some other select customers. Assigned seating: Southwest is moving away from its long-standing open seating policy and introducing assigned seating, similar to other major airlines. This will be effective in early 2026. New basic economy fare: A new basic fare tier has been introduced, offering the lowest price point but with less flexibility than other fare options. Flight credit expiration: Flight credits issued for tickets purchased on or after May 28, 2025, will expire one year from the date of ticketing, with some exceptions for basic economy fares. None of these updates were reflected in the 2025 J.D. Power rankings, which measured customer satisfaction based on travel experiences before these changes were announced. That means Southwest's top score may reflect a version of the airline that's about to be a relic. Related story: The Google Flights trick every summer traveler should know to save money (plus make booking easier)
