Southwest Baggage Fees 2026: Checked Bag, Overweight and Oversize

Where these numbers come from

Southwest ended its long run of free checked bags for new tickets in May 2025, then raised the fees again for tickets bought on or after April 9, 2026. The mainland price is now $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second, each way. A third bag is still $150. Carry-on and personal item remain free on every fare, so the fee only matters once you check luggage.

The fee tiers are flat. Southwest does not list a cheaper price for paying online versus at the counter, and the published table has no peak-date pricing. That makes it easy to predict your cost. The one timing rule is practical: you can check bags digitally during or after online check-in, paying by card, PayPal or Apple Pay, while the airport counter wants a physical card.

Overweight and oversize charges stack on top of the base fee. A 60 lb first bag costs $45 plus $100, or $145 each way. A round trip with that bag is $290. A 75 lb bag as the second piece costs $55 plus $200, or $255 each way. Because the add-ons are larger than the base fee, weighing at home pays for itself quickly.

Worked example: two adults fly round trip with one standard bag each. That is four bag-legs at $45, or $180. Before the April change the same trip cost $140. If each adult instead checks two bags, the round trip is 2 x 2 x ($45 + $55) = $400, compared with $320 on the old schedule. Families of four with one bag each pay $360.

The cheapest route to free bags is the fare itself. Choice Extra and A-List Preferred include two free bags, so a Choice Extra upgrade can beat the fee when a traveler would otherwise check two bags each way, which costs $100 one-way and $200 round trip. Rapid Rewards cardmembers get the first bag free but now pay $55 for the second.

Hawaii interisland flights follow a separate table. Non-residents pay $30 and $40 for the first two bags since April 9, 2026, and $50 for each extra bag. Hawaii residents receive two free bags. Partner itineraries can follow the operating carrier's rules, so check the route before you assume the Southwest table applies. Use the bag cost calculator for your exact trip, and read the Southwest baggage rules hub for carry-on and cabin sizing.

Sources

• Southwest optional travel charges
• Southwest carry-on and personal item policy
• Southwest checked baggage policy
• Southwest paying for checked bags

Figures checked on September 30, 2026.

This page is general information, not legal, insurance or travel-agent advice. Fees, rules and limits change, so confirm the figures with the official sources listed above before you book or travel.