Looking to drive additional revenue growth, Southwest Airlines on Tuesday announced a slew of updates to its operations, fees and more. Most notably, the carrier will no longer offer free checked bag to all customers. Instead, only Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members and customers traveling on Business Select fares will receive free checked bags. A-List members and “other select customers” will receive one free checked bag.
Travelers who do not qualify for these free bag options will be charged for their first and second checked bags (weight and size limitations apply). These changes will apply to flights booked on or after May 28.
In addition, the airline recently lowered the number of Rapid Rewards points travelers earn on Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares. (It did, however, up the number of points earned on Business Select fares.)
Southwest will also introduce a new Basic fare on its lowest-priced tickets purchased on or after May 28, 2025, in advance of offering assigned seating and extra legroom options.
The moves come from pressure by top investor Elliott Investment Management. Last year, as part of this “product evolution,” the carrier scrapped its open-seating policy—which Southwest had used for more than 50 years. In addition to assigning seats, the airline also announced the planned launch of premium seating options, red-eye flights and an updated boarding model.
Several months after these moves, Elliott was able to remove Southwest Airlines’ executive chairman Gary Kelly, along with six other members of the board of directors, from their roles. Kelly had been with Southwest for 38 years, acting as CEO from 2004 to 2022 and as a chairman since 2008.
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