Southwest Airlines allowance at a glance
| Bag | Maximum size | Maximum weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carry-on | 24x16x10 in61x41x25 cm | No stated limit | Wheels, handles, and attachments count toward the 24x16x10 in dimensions; Southwest does not publish a carry-on weight limit or restrict carry-on size by fare class. |
| Personal item | Not published | No stated limit | Must fit under the seat in front of you; no published numeric maximum dimensions. |
| Checked bag | 62 in157.5 cm | 50 lb22.7 kg |
Southwest Airlines checked bag fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| First checked bag | $45 (mainland U.S. Basic/Choice/Choice Preferred fares) |
| Second checked bag | $55 (mainland U.S. Basic/Choice/Choice Preferred fares) |
| Overweight bag | $100 + standard bag fee for 51-70 lb; $200 + standard bag fee for 71-100 lb |
| Oversize bag | $200 + standard bag fee for bags measuring 63-80 total linear inches |
Carry-on and personal item size limits are the same across all fares; checked-bag fees depend on fare/status — Business Select fares, A-List Preferred elites, and Rapid Rewards Priority Cardholders get free checked bags while other fares pay standard per-bag fees (Southwest ended free checked bags for everyone in May 2025).
This page goes deeper on one part of the policy. The full record is at Southwest Airlines Baggage Rules.
Southwest Airlines checked baggage size tops out at 62 total linear inches (157.5 cm) and 50 lb (22.7 kg) per bag. That box does not shrink or grow by fare. The real Southwest Airlines checked baggage size question is not what fits, it is what the bag costs once it does.
Southwest ended its two free checked bags for everyone in 2025. What replaced it is a fare and status ladder worth reading before you pack.
Allowance by fare, in one table
Every bag still has to clear the same 62 inch, 50 lb ceiling that defines Southwest Airlines checked baggage size. What changes is who pays for the first two bags.
| Fare or status | 1st bag | 2nd bag |
|---|---|---|
| Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred | $45 | $55 |
| Choice Extra | Free | Free |
| A-List Preferred | Free | Free |
| A-List | Free | $35 |
| Rapid Rewards credit cardmember | Free | $55 |
| Active duty military | Free | Free |
A third bag on a mainland U.S. itinerary runs a flat $150, whatever the fare. Southwest’s own optional travel charges page lists interisland Hawaii fares apart from these.
Those Hawaii fares run far lower. Travelers who do not live in Hawaii pay $30 and $40 there, and Hawaii residents fly free.
Fare and status decide the fee, but not the box itself. Southwest’s own carry-on and checked size limits stay identical across every fare tier, from Basic to Business Select.
Compare this ladder against the carrier’s own Southwest baggage fees breakdown. Do not assume Southwest is still the cheap fee airline by default.
What cannot ride in the hold
Southwest’s guidance on batteries is unusually blunt. Spare lithium batteries, spare battery packs, electronic cigarettes and lighters are not allowed in checked luggage at all.
They travel in the cabin instead. A spare battery pack is capped at one per passenger and 100 watt-hours.
It rides in your personal item, not the overhead bin. If your checked bag has a battery built into it, that battery comes out before the bag goes on the belt.
Firearms and ammunition follow the standard federal declaration process at the counter. Sporting equipment like skis or golf clubs counts as one of your checked pieces once the usual weight and size limits apply.
A smart bag with a lithium battery you cannot remove falls under that same checked ban. If the battery in your case cannot be pulled out and carried separately, plan to leave that bag at home rather than find out at the counter.
Whose rules apply on a connecting ticket
Southwest flies point to point far more than it interlines with other carriers. Its help center is explicit on one thing: a partner airline leg can carry that carrier’s own baggage terms.
If your ticket mixes Southwest with another airline, check the confirmation. Look for which carrier’s checked bag rules govern the through leg, and do not assume Southwest’s 50 lb cap follows the whole trip.
Overweight and oversize at the counter
The bands above the 50 lb line are steep and enforcement is not forgiving. A bag between 51 and 70 lb adds $100 to the standard bag fee.
A bag between 71 and 100 lb adds $200 to it. Traveler reports on the weight limit agree on one point: agents weigh every bag.
A bag at 51 lb gets charged the same fee as one at 69 lb.
Asking to shift the overage into a lighter companion bag does not work at the counter. Southwest weighs and charges each bag on its own, so a 51 lb bag next to a 30 lb bag still owes the fee.
The fix people actually use is pulling one item out on the spot, not negotiating with the agent. Packing a spare tote bag for exactly this moment saves the fee and the argument.
Oversize works the same way. A bag between 63 and 80 total linear inches adds $200 on top of whatever the standard bag fee already was.
Southwest’s help center notes that overage charges at the airport take a physical credit card only, not mobile payment. Bring the card if you are cutting it close.
Run the numbers first with a baggage cost calculator before you leave the house. The overweight and oversize baggage fees guide compares these bands across carriers.
Checked cases light enough to matter
Southwest’s 50 lb cap rewards a checked bag that weighs little on its own. Every pound of empty suitcase is a pound you cannot pack.
| Bag | Size | Why it suits a 50 lb cap |
|---|---|---|
| Travelpro Maxlite 5 25 inch expandable spinner | 25 inch checked | One of the lighter 25 inch shells sold, so more of the 50 lb goes to your clothes. |
| Travelpro Maxlite 5 29 inch | 29 inch checked | Southwest’s cap does not scale up with bag size, so a heavy empty 29 inch case eats the allowance fast. |
| Samsonite Omni PC 24 inch | 24 inch checked | Sits well under 62 total linear inches with room before the oversize band. |
| Samsonite Omni PC 28 inch | 28 inch checked | Large enough that the 50 lb cap, not the size limit, becomes the binding constraint. |
| Delsey Paris Helium Aero 24 inch checked spinner | 24 inch checked | A mid weight hardside with a built in lock for a week away on the standard fare tiers. |
| Amazon Basics 30 inch hardside checked luggage | 30 inch checked | Priced low, but at 30 inches it can pass 62 linear inches once packed. Measure it fully loaded before flying Southwest. |
Pack a digital luggage scale and weigh at home. Southwest’s counter does not round down.
A scale that catches 51 lb before you leave beats paying the fee at the airport.
For the box these bags need to clear before the belt, see the checked baggage weight limit guide. For the bag riding beside it in the cabin, see Southwest’s own carry-on size page.
The bottom line
Southwest Airlines checked baggage size is generous by industry standards at 62 linear inches and 50 lb. That has not changed.
What changed is the price. Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred flyers now pay $45 and $55 for the first two bags.
The old reputation for free bags now belongs to Choice Extra, A-List Preferred, elites and Southwest’s own cardholders instead.
Check your fare and status before you assume the old deal still applies. See the parent Southwest Airlines baggage rules page for how this compares to the cabin bag.
Common questions
What is the checked baggage size limit for Southwest Airlines?
Every checked bag must be 62 total linear inches or less and weigh 50 lb or less, the same on every fare.
Does Southwest still give two free checked bags?
No. Southwest ended free checked bags for everyone in 2025; Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred fares now pay per bag.
How much does Southwest charge for an overweight checked bag?
A bag between 51 and 70 lb adds $100 to the standard fee, and a bag between 71 and 100 lb adds $200.
Can I combine weight across two Southwest checked bags to avoid a fee?
No. Southwest weighs and charges each bag on its own, so one heavy bag still owes the overweight fee.
Can I pack a spare lithium battery or power bank in a Southwest checked bag?
No. Spare lithium batteries, battery packs, e-cigarettes and lighters must travel in the cabin, not the hold.
What happens to checked bags on a Southwest ticket connecting to another airline?
The baggage terms of the operating partner airline can apply to that leg, so check the confirmation for which carrier’s rules govern.
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