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

[DisneyFleet]

Random question but I couldn't find the answer elsewhere. If you do need to pay for a checked bag, will you be allowed to do in advance at all or is it simply at the kiosk? Thanks all

 

[eticketplease]

Random question but I couldn't find the answer elsewhere. If you do need to pay for a checked bag, will you be allowed to do in advance at all or is it simply at the kiosk? Thanks all

”There's just one big problem: Currently, you cannot add and pay for a checked bag while booking a Southwest flight during Southwest's booking process … or even after you book by managing your trip online. ”

https://thriftytraveler.com/news/airlines/southwest-checked-bag-fees/

Just at the airport it seems.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Interesting. Those bags look smaller than a 21" spinner, but I am probably wrong.

I wish SWA (and other airlines) would enforce that your bag needs to go above where you are sitting. So many people get on the plane, use the overhead bins at the front and head towards the back. Many times, there is no bin space for the people who take those seats. People should be able to keep an eye on their own bags and not worry if somebody 10 rows back is messing with your stuff!

Random aside luggage measurements IME don't often match the size label. Like a 21" spinner may actually be 23" or more when including any handles (the ones you physically grab not the telescoping) and the wheels. A 19" potentially a 20" spinner (as in labeled as such) is probably more in line with the 22" rule. It's much harder to find luggage labeled as the actual measurements when considering the outside of it as well.

We unfortunately had to purchase new checked luggage for our cruise considering my nearly 20 yr old ones the wheels finally gave out after the 2023 cruise and those you have to saw into the back wheel area to replace (which I did with my carry on which I now use just for domestic travel) and our other checked luggage Venice killed one of the wheels. When I was searching online just about ALL of the luggage listed online and in the store was labeled as something that which in the small print the "actual measurements" were quite a bit larger. Our biggest issues was that many "large" checked luggage was 64-66" when considering handles and wheels when max dimensions allowable for the airlines was 61". The "medium spinner" (that's what it was called) was labeled as 25" spinner, case dimensions were 24.5 length, actual dimensions was 27" in length with the wheels and handles. The 21" version add several inches to that for the wheels and handles. Though the one we got (an American Tourister one) the tag had both dimensions listed thankfully.

The luggage I have that I take for international is listed as a 19inch 2 wheeled but with handles and wheels is 20inch, my husband's is the same as mine but 4-wheeled. His is listed as a 20inch but with the wheels is just a smidge under 22inches

ETA: I know SWA is 24inches but they are more generous there compared to other airlines.

 

[gr8ful]

It’s still possible that it does require the spend in 2026. I believe I put that in my example earlier in this thread as if the spend is in 2026 it definitely counts. It all depends on your statement date. If your statement ends on the 5th or so that would be ideal as you have plenty of time for last minute XMAS gifts to count towards your spend and 2026 points.

Sometimes people aren't specific and just say "Spend in 2026" because that's when the statements have to close and the points have to hit.

What you for sure DON'T want to do is to mis-time your statement closing, hit the bonus with a statement close in December, and then have them hit the wrong year.

When I did my 2025-26 CPs, I called and had then change my closing date to very early in the month. That way, after I saw it close on 12/3/24, I had almost the whole month of December to spend knowing my next close was, for sure, 01/03/25 of the next year.

So.... If I apply today (Sept 5th) will my closing date be around the 5th of the month? Meaning that any Christmas presents I buy after Dec. 5th-ish will post in January and therefore go towards the CP?

SORRY... I got all excited and posted before reading the rest of the thread!

Thanks, on that note I am applying today!

 

[dcfromva]

Interesting. Those bags look smaller than a 21" spinner, but I am probably wrong.

Southwest actually allows slightly larger bags in the overhead:
"Size limits: 24” (L) + 16” (W) + 10” (H). Wheels, handles, and attachments to your carry-on will apply toward these dimensions."
https://support.southwest.com/helpcenter/s/article/carryon-baggage-policy

I generally fly on SWA--my carry on bag is 24"X16"X9" and it does fit into the new space bins. (Other airlines have slightly smaller dimensions, so I always have to double check the size that is allowed before I fly.)

 

[EACarlson]

The way that SWA is attempting to put them in the category with AA, Delta, United, etc rather than the opposite way of Spirit, Frontier, etc would be more logical (IMO) though not wanted from a PR-stance to make their Basic ticket not include carry on luggage as opposed to across the board have no ticket include carry on luggage.

Only United's Basic Economy product doesn't allow a carryon bag. Delta and AA both do, at least as of now. I think SW would have made more money by leaving one free checked bag and charging for carryons.

 

[dcfromva]

It's kinda been figured out (at least to me based on recent reports and our own experience) that SWA is now like other airlines ever since they started more aggressively and preemptively asking for gate checked luggage in that they aren't necessarily thinking so hard about what bin space there will be.

Other airlines have frustrated passengers over the years where they board and find PLENTY of overhead bin space and yet the gate agents were insisting on gate checking. I still think SWA has on average more people using the overhead bin space but there seems to be a pattern that started back in spring where they are more and more just up front asking at the gate aggressively. I'd have to ask my husband who has flown quite a lot since spring but in the several flights I've taken I've not seen requesting/requiring carry on luggage to be gate checked to actually speed up boarding or deplaning, maybe others have noticed it being quicker IDK (which you'd think that would be their goal if they are going this route).

Purely just my own observation but I've noticed an uptick in people who are trying/forcing their way to deplane way out of what is considered the norm, meaning they are a few rows back and already in the aisle standing ready and not seemingly allowing people ahead of them the space to even get up and get their belongings from the overhead bin. Maybe that contributes to the deplaning not seemingly being faster.

I get what you're saying. I have noticed this on legacy airlines on past trips. On one flight in particular they were aggressively demanding bags being checked and then when we got onboard we found completely empty overheads.

What I have noticed on SWA is the gate agent saying exactly how many bags have been checked (out of how many folks on board). Then, they estimate how many bags will need to be gate checked on a particular flight. So far on SWA it is free to gate check a bag (and the bag will be checked to destination if there are any connecting flights).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Only United's Basic Economy product doesn't allow a carryon bag. Delta and AA both do, at least as of now. I think SW would have made more money by leaving one free checked bag and charging for carryons.

You might have misunderstood what I was saying.

Spirit, Frontier are the a la cart ultra low cost carriers where you have to pay for carry on bags. If SWA were to charge for carry on bags across the board it would downgrade them and put them in the category with the ultra low cost carriers which is the opposite of what they are attempting to be which is to be more like the Legacy carriers.

The PP's comment was that carry ons should be charged in general. But if SWA is trying to be more like the legacy carriers they would make their Basic fare have that restriction. Essentially I was saying if SWA were to anything it would be more logical to restrict the Basic fare which is what legacy carriers do (not to mean specifically carry on luggage but that the basic ticket is the one that gets the most restrictions).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I get what you're saying. I have noticed this on legacy airlines on past trips. On one flight in particular they were aggressively demanding bags being checked and then when we got onboard we found completely empty overheads.

What I have noticed on SWA is the gate agent saying exactly how many bags have been checked (out of how many folks on board). Then, they estimate how many bags will need to be gate checked on a particular flight. So far on SWA it is free to gate check a bag (and the bag will be checked to destination if there are any connecting flights).

Yeah we've had that too with SWA specifying the number. They tend to threaten that all C's will have to do it if they don't have volunteers.

I'm sure they do a rough estimate but overestimate at the same time.

As a random example it doesn't necessarily have to do with how full the flight is either. Our Vegas to KC flight last month there were 60 empty seats on the MAX 8 and they still called for people to gate check carry ons, and nearly hounded people for it. Granted that flight was delayed so I know that had something to do with it as in they were trying to be quicker (really didn't seem like it once we were on the plane were they any faster than before) but on our flight from KC to Vegas 50 seats were open, on time flight and still they asked for people more than once to gate check.

On some full flights we've had they've way overestimated and then had to BEG people to come to the back to use the open head bin space loudly exclaiming "we've got a lot of open bin space here lot of open bin space come on lot of open bin space in the back just head on back" and yeah I can guess some of it is them thinking people will not try and find a seat towards the front or middle and just speed on to the back but I don't think passengers are all that happy with how they are handling gate checking.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

Southwest actually allows slightly larger bags in the overhead:
"Size limits: 24” (L) + 16” (W) + 10” (H). Wheels, handles, and attachments to your carry-on will apply toward these dimensions."
https://support.southwest.com/helpcenter/s/article/carryon-baggage-policy

I generally fly on SWA--my carry on bag is 24"X16"X9" and it does fit into the new space bins. (Other airlines have slightly smaller dimensions, so I always have to double check the size that is allowed before I fly.)

I was saying the bags in the video that are all fitting in there together look smaller than a 21" spinner, hence fitting so many so well. I was not questioning their policy...just that the video looks misleading. Look at the hand size at :08. Unless that is a giant hand, that does not look like a 21" inch bag. The video says differently, so I guess so.

 

[dcfromva]

I was saying the bags in the video that are all fitting in there together look smaller than a 21" spinner, hence fitting so many so well. I was not questioning their policy...just that the video looks misleading. Look at the hand size at :08. Unless that is a giant hand, that does not look like a 21" inch bag. The video says differently, so I guess so.

I gotcha--that is why I was reassuring you that my carry on bag is 24"X16"X9" and does fit into the new "space bin"--just for reference.
Since the bags are turned on their side, you can fit more bags in (6ish instead of 4ish). The downside is the when the bins are open they do extend down further when they are open and you have to watch your head!