Southwest Airlines Ends Free Checked Bags — Here’s What It’ll Cost You Now

Gone are the days of having your bags fly for free at arguably one of the most popular airlines out of Denver International Airport. Southwest Airlines announced earlier this year that checked baggage will no longer be free when using the airline.

Hearing that news made me sad. I have flown Southwest Airlines many times domestically for years, and one of the absolute best things about the flight was that I did not have to pay baggage fees for two bags.

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Those baggage fees can add up quickly, and now, no airline offers free checked baggage. The day after Memorial Day marks the very last day that baggage gets a free ride on Southwest Airlines.

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All flights booked on or after May 28, 2025, will be subject to a fee, but how much will it cost? According to 9 News, Southwest's new checked baggage fee is right around the same price as all of the other major airlines that fly in and out of Denver International Airport.

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The cost for a basic checked bag on Southwest Airlines is now $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second bag. Making a trip to anywhere that Southwest Airlines flies is potentially $160 more expensive due to the cost of baggage for two checked bags on a round-trip flight.

Who Still Gets Free Bags on Southwest Airlines?

Not all Southwest Airlines customers will be charged for bags, however. Southwest Airlines will still offer free baggage to its Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members, Business Select ticket holders, and one free checked bag for A-List travelers.

I guess I am just cheap when it comes to paying for bags when flying to another city out of Colorado. Either I am going to have to cough up the extra funds for a checked bag, or I am going to have to get creative and strip down what I like to bring on my trips going forward when it comes to bringing a carry-on bag through Southwest Airlines.