Southwest units its first checked bag price, beginning at $35
After greater than 50 years, Southwest Airways’ “luggage fly free” coverage is lastly coming to an finish.
Southwest on Tuesday introduced the primary checked bag will price $35, whereas a second checked bag will price $45. The coverage will start tomorrow, when some passengers could also be topic to a checked bag price when reserving a flight on the low cost service. Weight and dimension limits for luggage will apply.
The brand new coverage solely applies to flights booked on Might 28 or later, which implies in the present day is the final day to e-book if passengers need to keep away from the brand new price.
There are, nevertheless, some carve-outs to the brand new coverage: Enterprise Choose/Alternative Additional and A-Checklist Most well-liked prospects will obtain two free checked luggage, whereas A-Checklist and Chase Fast Reward bank card members will get one free checked bag.
Along with the checked bag charges, a brand new flight credit score coverage can even take impact tomorrow, affecting how lengthy Southwest prospects can use their journey vouchers.
Flight credit issued Might 28 or later will expire in six months or a 12 months, relying on the fare kind. This marks a change to the airline’s earlier coverage in place for 3 years, which had stated flight credit by no means expire.
The airways inventory value was up 2.1% in pre-trading.
Southwest introduced the top of its free bag examine coverage in March amid mounting stress from activist buyers to enhance its monetary efficiency. The airline in September predicted that the change would result in $1.5 billion a 12 months in income however stated it additionally stood to lose $1.8 billion in enterprise from loyal prospects who flew Southwest due to its distinctive baggage coverage.
The brand new checked bag coverage is a part of a broader set of adjustments introduced by Southwest. The airline stated final July that it might begin promoting assigned seats, a serious departure from its longstanding open seating coverage.
In April, the airline gave prospects their first glimpse of what new seating choices would appear like when it introduced its new fare construction. As a part of the choices, prospects will now be capable to pay for further legroom.
Clients can begin reserving the brand new fare bundles within the third quarter of 2025 for flights that depart in 2026, in keeping with the airline.
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