Southwest to Drop Popular Perk and People Are Not Happy About it

I love flying Southwest Airlines. They are cheap, they get me where I need to go most of the time with a direct flight, and there wasn't a fee to check baggage.

I will soon be able to get two of the three things I love the most from Southwest Airlines. After flying with Southwest Airlines countless times out of Denver's airport with two free checked bags per person over the years, that one perk that I loved the most will soon come to an end.

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According to KDVR, Southwest Airlines has announced it will be dropping the motto "bags fly free," and customers without a specific status with the budget airline will have to start paying for checked bags.

Related: Southwest Drops Open Seating on Flights

Free checked bags on Southwest flights were the one thing that set the bar high on my choice of airlines. Not only that, they were the only airline that offered free checked baggage to all of its customers.

Some Southwest Airlines Customers Will Still Get Free Checked Baggage

Not every person who flies Southwest Airlines on a regular basis will have to pay for checked baggage in the future. Those who have reached the upper tiers of Southwest's Rapid Rewards program, have a Southwest Airlines credit card, or purchased business class seats will still have the luxury of having free checked baggage on a Southwest Airlines flight.

Related: Denver's Airport Ranked One of the Worst in the National Last Month

Southwest Airlines has not revealed the fee schedule for its new checked baggage policy as of yet. However, we do know that those who will be taking a flight through Southwest Airlines will have to start paying for checked baggage starting on May 28, 2025.