Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[Tink3815]

So just got off the phone with Southwest.

Booking with points has not changed (as of now, who knows what the next email will bring), only the $ credits. We can still check our flights for point reductions and get the credit back in our RR account. Confirmed this is also true with the basic flight choice when booking. ( I am going to confirm this info on this one was correct via an email to them)

Asked about the free checked bag when booking round trip. Will you get for both legs of the trip? He was not sure and went to the IT dept. They also did not know, so it was escalated to his manager to research. He said if you have more than 1 SW credit card, you would have to do the transaction separately on the credit cards when printing bag tags. The credit will be coming from the credit card, like Early Bird does now.

 

[bookgirl2632]

So has anyone seen how much baggage will cost? I’m thinking it will be industry standard, which I’m not even sure how much that is since I always fly Southwest. I have their credit card and have gotten several free flights from it. I may end up using up any flight credits and points I have and transferring my Southwest balance to another different credit card, especially if I’ll be shopping around for air travel more.

 

[Tink3815]

I think the baggage perk is because the CC perk of 2 free early birds will be useless when assigned seating begins. Southwest has been our choice , flying on points in the past. Going to be watching how the points are devalued before I make any changes to Jet Blue.
( JFK is their hub for us and I don't like it).

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Also keep in mind, while it's open seating, cancelling would lose your early bird check-in if you paid for it and is not given as a credit when cancelled. I wonder if on the basic fare with assigned seating you will also lose that purchase if they go the route of no choosing seats unless you purchase separately like all other airlines on basic airfare.

Yeah, it certainly seems likely that you'd want to wait and not pay those extra fees (EBCI/seat assignment) until you're locked in on that flight at that points value.

 

[sandam1]

I looked on Southwest's website and the next group of flights (through 1/5/26) go on sale at the end of March. Any guesses as to whether the next group will go on sale prior to these changes going into effect. Of course, my next trip in going to be on 1/7 or 1/8 and right now Jet Blue's flights for the trip to MCO are sky high (no pun intended). Plus I should have enough RR points to make the trip "free."

Honestly, I was already starting to switch my flying allegiance to Jet Blue anyways and these changes are the final nail in the coffin for me. Both airlines have nonstop flights from my home airport to Orlando and the only thing that kept me with SW was the free checked bags. I liked having the option to take my small rolling bag on the plane on my way down, but checking it as my second bag on the way home.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I looked on Southwest's website and the next group of flights (through 1/5/26) go on sale at the end of March. Any guesses as to whether the next group will go on sale prior to these changes going into effect. Of course, my next trip in going to be on 1/7 or 1/8 and right now Jet Blue's flights for the trip to MCO are sky high (no pun intended). Plus I should have enough RR points to make the trip "free."

Honestly, I was already starting to switch my flying allegiance to Jet Blue anyways and these changes are the final nail in the coffin for me. Both airlines have nonstop flights from my home airport to Orlando and the only thing that kept me with SW was the free checked bags. I liked having the option to take my small rolling bag on the plane on my way down, but checking it as my second bag on the way home.

My hunch is that the next chunk will book right on 5/28 when the the policy takes effect, so it's essentially all 2026 travel (I know the March drop goes a couple days into the new year) on the new policy. I'd love to be wrong, though, as I have a friend in the same boat you are looking for flights just after this drop.

 

[sandam1]

My hunch is that the next chunk will book right on 5/28 when the the policy takes effect, so it's essentially all 2026 travel

That's what I'm afraid of.

Oh, well, I guess that I will be stalking the Jet Blue website to see if the flight down drops. It's $300+ one way right now, which I just can't stomach. The flight home is $109.

 

[Craig Larson]

Yeah, it certainly seems likely that you'd want to wait and not pay those extra fees (EBCI/seat assignment) until you're locked in on that flight at that points value.

But the catch there being you get less desirable position/seat.

 

[Ariel620]

We can still check our flights for point reductions and get the credit back in our RR account. Confirmed this is also true with the basic flight choice when booking. ( I am going to confirm this info on this one was correct via an email to them)

This seems surprising, right? It looks like the "Basic Fare" does not carry the same perk as all past SW flight categories of "no change fees" Since that box is ticked in the email it looks like Basic will have no changes at all possible. It would be amazing if this is true (if we could still rebook with points and get refunded if it is now cheaper when flights go on sale

 

[Tink3815]

This seems surprising, right? It looks like the "Basic Fare" does not carry the same perk as all past SW flight categories of "no change fees" Since that box is ticked in the email it looks like Basic will have no changes at all possible. It would be amazing if this is true (if we could still rebook with points and get refunded if it is now cheaper when flights go on sale

The SW rep I had was very pleasant and "seemed" to know his stuff. He kept saying he was referring to his company provided talking points and did escalate when he couldn't find the answer about baggage fees. I also find it strange that basic would allow price adjustments, that's why I am following up with an email to Southwest. My concern is just when we get an understanding of what they are doing, a new email will come out with more changes. I think all new policies would need to be in place by 5-28, when we are anticipating flights with assigned seating will be sold for 2026.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Well not sure if I’ll continue with SWA once they start chging for bags that was the main perk for me also the non expiring flight credits and I see those are going away too and back to one year.
I’m looking at Jet Blue now…I’ve already booked flights for May, June, and September and hoping SWA won’t start charging for bags on flights already purchased.

 

[hsmamato2]

so one of my concerns now is that charging for checked bags will mean a hot mess of carryon issues..... so up till now they've been pretty lax with what people drag onto the plane (IMHO) but I foresee new rules going into effect for carryon too with all of this....

 

[Genie+]

That's what I'm afraid of.

Oh, well, I guess that I will be stalking the Jet Blue website to see if the flight down drops. It's $300+ one way right now, which I just can't stomach. The flight home is $109.

JetBlue has free checked luggage with their credit card (1 for yourself and up to 3 travel companions).

When using points to fly those automatically come with 1 free carryon too.

 

[pens4821]

so one of my concerns now is that charging for checked bags will mean a hot mess of carryon issues..... so up till now they've been pretty lax with what people drag onto the plane (IMHO) but I foresee new rules going into effect for carryon too with all of this....

Not discrediting your experiences at all, but I have to say my trip in September and my trip last week they were quite strict. All four airports they made multiple announcements about gate checking bigger bags, and being adamant about how strict the two items per person was. No matter how small a third item was. If you had a bag, purse, and neck pillow one would have to be gate checked if you couldn’t combine them into two.

I feel like they’ve known for a while they were going to start charging for bags. So they became strict about it because they know there won’t be enough room for everyone’s carryon. I also fly United and I feel like if you book the basic fare you can’t bring on a carryon. I’ve even hear announcements that if you’re in boarding group 5 come to the counter to check you bag because there will be no room.

 

[focusondisney]

Not discrediting your experiences at all, but I have to say my trip in September and my trip last week they were quite strict. All four airports they made multiple announcements about gate checking bigger bags, and being adamant about how strict the two items per person was. No matter how small a third item was. If you had a bag, purse, and neck pillow one would have to be gate checked if you couldn’t combine them into two.

Agree! I saw the same thing on our trips last year. I even saw a woman on the flight before ours made to step out of the boarding line to consolidate her items before being allowed to proceed. There have been several posts from others who saw the same things.

 

[hsmamato2]

Agree! I saw the same thing on our trips last year. I even saw a woman on the flight before ours made to step out of the boarding line to consolidate her items before being allowed to proceed. There have been several posts from others who saw the same things.

Really...wow. All I've ever seen is people dragging giant suitcases on board and stuffing them into the overhead and no one said anything.....

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Agree! I saw the same thing on our trips last year. I even saw a woman on the flight before ours made to step out of the boarding line to consolidate her items before being allowed to proceed. There have been several posts from others who saw the same things.

Yes, they've gotten stricter over the years. I wonder if the plane is also a factor--the older ones have smaller bin space

 

[MagicDVC]

Yes, they've gotten stricter over the years. I wonder if the plane is also a factor--the older ones have smaller bin space

They were doing that when we flew in Dec on a Max8 so the large overhead bins. It was all gates and flights, so we figured it was a change in policy. Now with baggage fees, it explains it all.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Really...wow. All I've ever seen is people dragging giant suitcases on board and stuffing them into the overhead and no one said anything.....

I think what I have seen is more overstuffing of carryons mixed with them being larger.

I would say the majority of the time the gate agents adhered to the 2 rule (personal item+carryon) with sometimes here and there allowing shopping bags; I imagine certain destinations had a higher leeway being used towards the number of items.

I did experience last May on a flight from KC to LaGuardia them telling people to put even neck pillows in their bags as that counted towards an item. I know their website stated otherwise but I took that and what people have mentioned here to be a case by case situation. At that time I did have a travel pillow that held a blanket inside (and when I say travel pillow I do mean it's small rectangle it's not a normal sized pillow of which I would never think to fly with in the first place) that I had been traveling with for years (during the flight it was always kept on my lap or put behind my back for lumbar support or behind my neck; in hotels I would use the blanket in lieu of a pillow).. I shoved it in my suitcase and since then have planned to have enough space in my bag for it. My husband had a neck pillow and did the same. I was surprised as well on hearing the announcement when I did but others have posted about it as well.

I haven't heard it announced since then though. I haven't asked my husband if he's heard the announcement when he's traveled for business but I do think at least up until now it had been something that was random (or maybe specifically that gate agent or specifically that flight) rather than a normal policy (as that is against SWA's website information)...that obviously might change to an across the board all or at least intended to be the normal policy.

Again though IME it's mostly been that carryons have been stuff full. I'm not going to super blame people here, most are worried about the state of checked luggage over time, but people do have an obligation to ensure they are within the size limitations and IMO primarily for carry ons as that is more of an impact to fellow passengers who now may need to gate check their bag due to lack of overhead bin space.

For soft-sided carryons it's normally the front pocket stuffed full and often if the luggage is expandable it's expanded, for hard-sided carryons it's the size of it to begin with. I also think people forget to look at how much the wheels take up and don't factor that in. Some wheels can add more than 2inches in height as well as bulge out the sides. I will always prefer 2 wheeled luggage but I think airlines haven't factored in the 4 wheels as much as you'd hope when they've both built new airplanes or retrofitted old ones.

 

[sandam1]

JetBlue has free checked luggage with their credit card (1 for yourself and up to 3 travel companions).

When using points to fly those automatically come with 1 free carryon too.

I had seen this, but I was wondering if the ticket had to be purchased on the JB credit card or just the luggage fees.