How Much Does It Cost to Check a Bag on Southwest? (Price Guide)

Southwest was long known for letting passengers check two bags at no charge. That policy ended in 2025, and the airline has since raised its fees once already. Anyone planning a trip now needs to know what a checked bag costs, which fare includes one, and who is exempt.

The fee you pay depends on your fare, your status with the airline, the number of bags, and the route. Southwest also prices Hawaii interisland flights separately from everything else. The sections below walk through each case, using fees listed on one-way tickets.

On a standard fare, the first checked bag costs $45 each way and the second costs $55. The third bag costs $150. These amounts apply to the three fares that do not include bags: Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred.

Because fees are charged per direction, a round trip with one bag costs twice the listed amount. Two travelers each checking one bag on a round trip pay four times the first-bag fee. It helps to multiply before you compare fares.

The table lists the standard fees plus one status perk. Members of the A-List tier get their first bag free and pay $35 for a second. Higher status tiers and the top fare, Choice Extra, include more free bags, so check which perks come with your ticket before you pay at the airport.

Flights that both begin and end inside Hawaii follow a separate fee table. Hawaii residents check their first and second bags free. Visitors who do not live in Hawaii pay the amounts below.

The first bag costs $30, the second costs $40, and the third costs $50. Those rates are lower than the mainland table, but they still add up if you island hop with a family.

Southwest raised its first and second bag fees for tickets bought or voluntarily changed on or after April 9, 2026. Before that date the first bag cost $35 and the second cost $45.

If you bought a ticket before the change and have not modified it, the older rate may still apply. Changing the booking voluntarily can move you to the current fee, so look at the baggage line before you rebook a flight.

Several groups avoid the fee entirely.

• Passengers on the Choice Extra fare, which includes two free checked bags.
• A-List members get the first bag free, and A-List Preferred members get two. In each case, the benefit extends to the member plus up to eight additional passengers on the same reservation.
• Rapid Rewards credit cardmembers check a first bag free, and the benefit covers the same reservation. The cardmember must add the Rapid Rewards number when booking.
• Active-duty military members check bags free.

If you fly Southwest a few times a year, compare the annual fee on a co-branded card with what you would pay in bag fees. Two people checking a bag each way on two round trips already spend a meaningful amount. Card terms change, so read the current benefits on the issuer's site and speak with a licensed financial professional if you are weighing a new credit card.

• Pack to one bag per traveler. The first bag is the cheapest, and each extra bag costs more.
• Use the free personal item and carry-on allowance when the trip allows it. Southwest still permits a carry-on and a personal item.
• Compare fares after adding bags. A Choice Extra ticket can cost less than a cheaper fare plus two bag fees, depending on the route.
• Share a reservation with an A-List member or cardmember when possible, since their benefit covers companions on the same booking.
• Weigh bags at home. Overweight and oversize charges are separate from the fees above, and the airline lists them on its own page.