Southwest Airlines 2025 Changes: Timeline

Southwest has been in the news lately for making some pretty big changes. There’s a lot of confusion and misinformation out there on what exactly the changes are and when they take effect.

This guide walks you through all the changes, when they take effect, and what exactly this means for travelers.

Quick Hits and To Dos

• If you hold a Southwest credit card, the changes will impact you the least. 
• All Southwest cardholders will continue to receive 1 free checked bag for themselves and up to 8 people on their reservation.
• If you have any LUV vouchers, you should convert them to flight credits by May 27 so that they won’t expire. 
• If you have any flight credits, you may want to convert them to flexible flight credits before May 27, so that they aren’t tied to a specific person
• After May 28 — I recommend only booking the Basic fare if you are booking with points
• Once seating changes roll out, many people may want to upgrade their Southwest cards to get better seating benefits. 

New Checked Baggage Changes: May 28, 2025

One of the most significant changes is that Southwest is getting rid of the “two bags fly free” policy.

For flights booked on or after May 28, 2025, checked bags will no longer be free. 

Southwest has not announced how much checked bags will cost, but they have said pricing will “align with industry standards.”

The good news is, there are a few ways you can still get a free checked bag (or two).

How to Get Free Checked Bags

Book Your Flight Before May 28

Any flights booked before May 28 will not be subject to the new bag policy, even if the flight takes place after May 28.

Southwest Credit Cardholders

All Southwest credit cardholders will get one free checked bag for each member in their party who is booked on the same reservation (up to 8 people).

Companions of people with a checked bag benefit

If you qualify to receive a free checked bag through holding a Southwest credit card, having A-list elite status, or another reason, that benefit will also extend to your companion. The companion will have to pay any applicable bag fees at the airport, but those fees will be automatically refunded.

A-list Elite Status Members

Passengers with A-list elite status will get one free checked bag for each member in their party who is booked on the same reservation (up to 8 people).

A-list Preferred Status Members

Passengers with A-list Preferred status will get two free checked bags. This applies for the member and up to 8 people booked on the same reservation.

Choice Extra Fares (Formerly Business Select)

Passengers who book a Choice Extra fare will get two free checked bags. This benefit does not extend to others in your party, unless they have booked the same fare class.

Baggage Changes FAQS

I booked my flight before May 28, will I have to pay for bags?

No. Any flights booked before May 28, 2025 have two free checked bags included for all passengers. Even if your flight is not until later in the year, or even early next year.

What if I booked my flight before May 28, but I have to change it later? 

If you make any changes to your flight after May 28, you will be subject to the new baggage policy. This means you will have to pay for checked bags, unless you have a Southwest credit card, A-list status, or another method that qualifies you for free checked bags.

Will there be a charge for carry-on bags?

No. Southwest has not announced any plans to charge for carry-on bags. This could always change in the future, but for now, all passengers (no matter the fare class booked) are still allowed to bring one carry-on bag and one personal item for free.

What if I have A-list elite status and a Southwest credit card?

The benefits do not stack. You would still only get one free checked bag, unless you booked a Choice Extra fare (or have A-list Preferred status), which qualifies you for two free bags.

What if I have a Companion Pass? Does my companion get a free checked bag?

If you qualify to receive a free checked bag through holding a Southwest credit card, having A-list elite status, or another reason, that benefit will also extend to your companion. The companion will have to pay any applicable bag fees at the airport, but those fees will be automatically refunded.

For those who qualify, how do I get a free checked bag?

For most people — the fee will be waived at bag check. Up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation will have the fee waived on their first standard bag. 

For Companions: The process is different from a Companion flying with a Companion Pass. Because the Companion has their own reservation with their own confirmation number, they’re not considered on the “same reservation.” The companion will have to pay for their bag up front, but that fee will be refunded if the companion pass holder qualifies for a free checked bag.

New Flight Credit Expiration Dates: May 28

Currently, flight credits don’t expire. Any flight credit created on or before May 27, 2025 will not expire.

Starting May 28, 2025, any flight credits issued will have an expiration date. The expiration date varies depending on the fare class booked. If you book a “basic” level fare, flight credits will expire 6 months after issue. For all other fare classes, flight credits expire 12 months after issue. 

Fare Classes: Date TBD

Southwest has four different fare classes. After the changes take effect, they will still have four classes, but they are replacing “Wanna Get Away” fares with “Basic” fares. This is essentially Southwest’s version of basic economy. And they are renaming all of the other fare classes.

These are the current fare classes Southwest offers:

And these are the new fare classes that will take effect sometime after May 28, 2025. Southwest has not announced an exact date for these fare classes, but they will go into effect when Southwest begins assigning seats. This will be sometime in the third quarter of 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fare Classes

What if I book basic and I want to change my flight?

Changes are not allowed with basic so you would have to cancel and rebook.

If you booked with points, any points would be refunded to you. If you booked with cash, you would get a flight credit for the cancellation that would only be valid for 6 months. 

What if my flight goes down in price, will I still be able to change it to the lower price and get the difference back?

For all fare classes other than basic, yes. If your flight drops in price, you can get the difference back in points or flight credit (or a refund if you booked a refundable fare). If you booked basic and the price goes down, you would have to cancel and rebook to get the new price.

Flight credits from fare changes will only be valid for 12 months. 

Earning Rapid Rewards Points on Flights

If you book a cash fare rather than an award flight, the amount of points you can earn for your flight has recently changed. These are the current earning rates multiplied by the fare paid:

Business Select/Choice Extra: 14x 

Anytime/Choice Preferred: 10x

Wanna Get Away+/Choice: 6x

Wanna Get Away/Basic: 2x

You don’t earn any points for flights that are booked with points. This hasn’t changed; that’s always been the case. For people using points to fly with Southwest, this particular change isn’t that big of a deal, because most of the time you’re not earning points on your flights anyway!

Variable Pricing for Point Redemptions

Southwest has always used variable (also called dynamic) pricing, in that the points price for any given flight changes regularly, just like cash fares do.

What’s different now is that the points price used to be tied more directly to the cash price, now there may be additional dynamic pricing.

Now, point prices will vary depending on demand. If there is a lot of demand, point prices may be higher. If there is not much demand, point prices may be lower.

In some cases, you might find that it takes fewer points to fly to a given destination than it did before, but point prices could also be much higher.

For people who like to calculate cents per point, Southwest used to have a fairly fixed value of 1.3-1.5 cents per point when compared to the cash rate for the same flight. Now, you might find that your points are worth 1 cent per point for some redemptions, but considerably 1.7 or more cents per point for other redemptions.

Seating Changes

Starting in early 2026, Southwest’s open seating policy is going away. The good news is, you won’t have to check in exactly 24 hours ahead and cross your fingers to hope for a good boarding position anymore.

The switch to assigned seating means you’ll know exactly where your seat is before you get on the plane.

Assigned Seating

Southwest says it will start assigning seat reservations in late 2025 for flights taking place in 2026.

Seat selection will be included to some degree with most fare classes, but seat selection is not included for “basic” fares. If you book basic, standard seats in the back section of the plane will be automatically assigned at check-in.

Premium Seating

Southwest is going to have 3 different categories of seats. Extra legroom seats, preferred seats, and standard seats. Premium seating will be included for the top two fare classes (Choice Extra and Choice Preferred).

You can also get premium seating with certain Southwest credit cards and by holding A-list status. 

Extra legroom Seats Available Now on Select Flights

On May 1, 2025, Southwest began adding retrofitted planes with the new extra legroom seats back into service. That means passengers will have a chance to snag one of these seats before assigned seating goes into effect.

There aren’t many of these planes in operation just yet, but if you’re lucky enough to fly one, you might have a chance to try out the new seats for free!

Frequently Asked Questions About Assigned Seating

Will I be able to pay to upgrade my seat?

Southwest has not yet announced if you’ll be able to pay to select a better seat (like extra legroom) if that seat is not included in your fare class.

They have also not announced whether or not passengers who book a “Basic” fare will have the option to pay a fee to select a seat before check-in.

If I have a companion pass, will my companion get a free seat?

Yes, you will be able to select a seat for your designated companion. Tier seating benefits will extend to your companion as well.

What seating benefits will be available to Southwest cardholders?

All Southwest credit cardholders will get free seat selection. The exact seat you can choose and when you can reserve it depends on which credit card you have.

Some cards qualify you for standard seating. Higher-tier cards give you access to free premium seats.

What kind of seating options do A-list and A-list Preferred status members have?

A-list status members have the option to select seats for free, regardless of what fare class is booked. 

Redeye Flights

Southwest is adding redeye flights to 20 routes in early 2025. This opens up more options for passengers, especially to and from Hawaii, where the flights are quite long.

Partnership with Iceland Air

Southwest announced a partnership with Iceland Air in January of 2025. This partnership allows passengers to book flights with Iceland Air that include connections operated by Southwest. The partnership is rolling out slowly with limited options, but they are planning to expand. 

As of right now, you can’t redeem Rapid Rewards points on these flights. This is expected to change in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Iceland Air Partnership

Is Southwest flying to Europe?

No, Southwest does not fly any of its planes to Europe, but the partnership with Iceland air will allow you to book a flight to Europe with a segment operated by Southwest. 

Can I book a flight to Iceland (or Europe) through Southwest?

No, as of right now, these flights have to be booked through Iceland Air.

Can I earn Rapid Rewards points on Iceland Air flights?

You can only earn Rapid Rewards points on the segments that are operated by Southwest. You cannot earn Rapid Rewards points on Iceland Air flights. We hope to see this roll out, soon!

Why Southwest is still a Good Choice for Families

Though it can be disappointing to see changes like this, Southwest is still a good choice for a lot of travelers. 

Companion Pass

The companion pass is still one of the best deals out there. Being able to get BOGO flights for an entire year or more can save you hundreds of dollars.

Non-stop Flights

Southwest offers a ton of non-stop flight options, often at reasonable prices. This makes travel much easier, especially when you’re traveling with little ones.

It’s Easy to Get Free Bags

If you’re using points and miles, chances are you already have a Southwest credit card. If not, it might make sense to get one. 

We hope this breakdown helps you navigate the changes and still make the most of using Southwest in your points and miles strategy. If you’re just getting started with points, be sure to check out my 3 year plan for how to earn over a million points!