Southwest baggage fees 2026: carry-on, checked bag, seat and change fees
On Southwest's cheapest fare (United States mainland, Basic fare), a carry-on bag is: included. The first checked bag: $45. Changing the flight: no change fee, but a Basic fare can only be changed by upgrading it. We read these on Southwest's own pages on 14 November 2026; each line below links to the page and quotes what it says.
Southwest fees on the cheapest fare
| fee | what Southwest publishes | evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bag | Included Its page says: “Basic Fare | Free | $45 | $55” | source |
| First checked bag | $45 Its page says: “Basic Fare | Free | $45 | $55” | source |
| Second checked bag | $55 Its page says: “Basic Fare | Free | $45 | $55” | source |
| Choosing a standard seat | Standard seat assigned free at check-in; paid seat upgrades $4 to $250 Its page says: “Paid seat upgrades | $4-$250 per segment, per Customer” | source |
| Changing the flight | No change fee, but a Basic fare can only be changed by upgrading it Its page says: “For Basic fares, you may upgrade the fare to Choice, Choice Preferred or Choice Extra.” | source |
A fee marked as not published is one the airline shows only inside a booking or a route calculator. We do not estimate it. Fees paid at the airport are higher wherever the airline publishes both.
Southwest against the other airlines
| airline | carry-on bag | first checked bag |
|---|---|---|
| Ryanair | €/£12.49 to €/£36 when booking (sold as Priority & 2 Cabin Bags) about $13.82 to $39.85 for the euro prices at the latest exchange rate | €/£21.49 to €/£59.99 when booking (20 kg) about $23.79 to $66.40 for the euro prices at the latest exchange rate |
| Wizz Air | €13 to €60 online (sold as WIZZ Priority) about $14.39 to $66.41 at the latest exchange rate | €10 to €112.50 online in low season (20 kg) about $11.07 to $124.52 at the latest exchange rate |
| Frontier | Priced by route in a bag price checker; no range published | Priced by route in a bag price checker; no range published |
| Southwest | Included | $45 |
| Delta | Included | $45 each way |
| United | Not allowed (personal item only); $75 if a bag has to be checked at the gate | From $45 prepaid, $50 at the airport lobby, $75 at the gate |
| American | Included | $50 online, $55 at the airport |
| JetBlue | Included | $50 off-peak, $55 peak, when added more than 24 hours before departure |
| British Airways | Included | Priced by route in a calculator; no range published |
| Emirates | Included, one piece up to 7 kg | Included, one piece up to 23 kg on Americas routes |
| Allegiant | $10 to $75 | Priced by route in a fee table; no range published |
| Breeze Airways | Price when booking shown only in a quote tool; $75 if added at the airport | Price when booking shown only in a quote tool; $75 if added at the airport |
Questions
Does Southwest charge for a carry-on bag?
On its cheapest fare (United States mainland, Basic fare): included. Read on Southwest's own page on 14 November 2026.
How much is a checked bag on Southwest?
First checked bag: $45. Second checked bag: $55. Read on 14 November 2026.
Can you change a Southwest flight on the cheapest fare?
No change fee, but a Basic fare can only be changed by upgrading it. Read on 14 November 2026; the table links to the page.