Where were you when Southwest Airlines announced plans to eliminate its signature perk?
The low-cost carrier is in the midst of a dramatic transformation that unsurprisingly comes down less to traveler satisfaction and more to turning a higher profit.
It's a money-making business after all and Southwest hasn't been making enough of it.
Nearly six decades after its founding, the airline's beloved "bags fly free" era will officially come to an end on May 28.
Starting just after Memorial Day Weekend 2025 ahead of the busy summer travel period, Southwest Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred members, passengers traveling on Business Select fares and Southwest credit card holders can still check two bags at no charge. However, passengers on Select fare flights and A-List status members will only be able to check in one bag without extra charge.
Though disappointing, the news can hardly be considered surprising after CEO Bob Jordan said last year that executives were "ushering in a new era at Southwest, moving swiftly and deliberately to transform the company by elevating the customer experience, improving financial performance, and driving sustainable shareholder value."
Southwest is defending the controversial decision by arguing that it gives customers choices and that employees are in favor of the latest moves, including assigning seats to clear up congestion in the gate area.
Baggage claim at San Diego International Airport. (photo by Patrick Clarke)
As Southwest desperately conforms to compete with every other U.S. airline it's worth wondering whether this monumental change will spur a new travel trend.
Will budget-minded travelers consider shipping their luggage to their destination to save time, money and headaches moving forward?
Luggage Forward, a company specializing in door-to-door luggage shipping, recently conducted a study of 1,000 travelers on their travel habits and found that nearly six in 10 (57.7 percent of) Americans are interested in luggage shipping services.
What's more, 41.5 percent are most comfortable paying between $100-$200 for the service. Doing so could potentially cut out airlines from the baggage transportation process altogether.
It's unclear what Southwest will begin charging for checked baggage but the industry average is about $35-40 so there's a good chance convenience wins out. Nonetheless, it opens the door for a dramatic shift.?
"Southwest Airlines' shift to baggage fees reveals the industry's business model is outdatedit's built for volume over sustainability," says Audrey Kohout, Co-CEO of Luggage Forward.
"What we are seeing now is operational inefficiencies catching up to us, and airlines are placing the burden on travelers. We are in a new era, where free perks are sold to us as premium add-ons," added Kohout. "It's time consumers start treating luggage as the fourth element of travelbooking services to ship bags ahead can save time and money."
Paying for checked bags is nothing new, of course, but Southwest was among the last carriers to offer something others couldn't and as carriers trend in the direction of charging extra for any and everything other than a seat, it can't be ruled out that travelers will eventually begin taking matters into their own handwhether out of convenience, cost savings or spite.
Southwest's latest policy change is a huge deal and it just may be the catalyst to birth a brand-new travel trend.
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