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Airlines · USA

Southwest Checked Bag Fee: What You Need to Know

Learn about Southwest checked bag fees, carryon rules, overweight charges, and WiFi access. Get the facts before you fly.

Quick answer

Southwest checked bag fees apply to Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares. Choice Extra fares and A-List Preferred members get two free checked bags. A-List members and credit cardmembers get only the first checked bag free.

Southwest Airlines
Personal itemOne smaller, personal type item (e.g., purse, briefcase, laptop computer case, backpack, small camera)
Cabin bagOne carryon bag not exceeding 10 x 16 x 24 inches
Cabin bag weight—
Checked bag includedBag fees apply to Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares; Choice Extra fares and Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members receive two free checked bags; A-List Members and Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers only receive their first checked bag for free
First checked bag—
Second checked bag—
Checked bag weight—
Overweight bagOverweight items from 51-70 pounds will cost $100; overweight items 71-100 pounds will cost $200
In-flight wifiFree WiFi is only for Rapid Rewards Members; $8 WiFi access is available on select aircraft only, for $8 per device from takeoff to landing

Checked Baggage Fees

Checked bag fees apply to Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares. Choice Extra fares and Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members receive two free checked bags. A-List Members and Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers only receive their first checked bag for free. In total, a Customer is limited to check 20 pieces of checked baggage per flight.

Carryon and Personal Items

Southwest allows all ticketed Passengers to carry on one carryon bag and one smaller, personal type item for free. The carryon bag must not exceed 10 x 16 x 24 inches. The personal item can be a purse, briefcase, laptop computer case, backpack, or small camera.

Overweight and Oversized Baggage

Overweight items from 51-70 pounds will cost $100. Overweight items 71-100 pounds will cost $200. Oversized items in excess of 62 inches but not more than 80 inches will be accepted for a charge of $200 per item plus the standard baggage fee.

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Questions

How much does Southwest charge for checked bags?

Fees apply to Basic, Choice, and Choice Preferred fares. Choice Extra fares and A-List Preferred Members get two free checked bags. A-List Members and credit cardmembers get only the first checked bag free.

What is the carryon bag size limit on Southwest?

One carryon bag not exceeding 10 x 16 x 24 inches is allowed per passenger, plus one smaller personal item.

How much does Southwest charge for overweight bags?

Overweight items from 51-70 pounds cost $100. Overweight items 71-100 pounds cost $200.

How much does Southwest charge for oversized bags?

Oversized items in excess of 62 inches but not more than 80 inches are accepted for a charge of $200 per item plus the standard baggage fee.

Is WiFi free on Southwest?

Free WiFi is only for Rapid Rewards Members. $8 WiFi access is available on select aircraft only, for $8 per device from takeoff to landing.

Sources. Checked against the official pages on 28 September 2026: support.southwest.com · southwest.com · support.southwest.com · southwest.com

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