travel requirements for southwest airlines

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market.  See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our  credit card rating methodology .

Southwest Airlines: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Latest Updates – Cancellation Policies, Status Changes, Routes, and More

Christy Rodriguez

Travel & Finance Content Contributor

88 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 36 U.S. States Visited: 31

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

36 Published Articles 3307 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Director of Operations & Compliance

6 Published Articles 1182 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 10 U.S. States Visited: 20

Table of Contents

Cancellation policies, loyalty extensions and status upgrades, flight reductions and cancellations, important southwest news, safety changes, fleet changes, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Southwest Airlines offers some of the most generous change and cancellation fees in the industry, but you might still be wondering about how Southwest is specifically responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Is Southwest making any changes on board your flight to keep you safe? If you have a trip booked through Southwest Vacations, how will this be handled? This article will answer all of your COVID-19 questions related to Southwest Airlines.

Southwest never charges fees to change or cancel flights . Even credits from canceled Wanna Get Away (non-refundable) fares can be applied to future travel.

We’ve broken down Southwest Airlines’ change and cancellation policies due to COVID-19 in great detail. Click the link for full details, along with other airlines’ policies.

Southwest Vacations Cancellation Policy

Southwest Vacations notes that “Southwest Vacations is aware that government mandates have resulted in restrictions on travel in some destinations due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Unfortunately, many of the restrictions will result in flight and hotel cancellations.”

If your vacation is affected, the trip will be canceled and a travel credit will be issued for the full amount (not including the cost of travel protection). Southwest Vacations specifically notes that “you do not need to contact us regarding your cancellation or travel credit. We will reach out to you with more information once the travel credit is processed.”

If you purchased your vacation using Uplift, see its site for more details.

Bottom Line: If you have a trip booked through Southwest Vacations, make sure you check your email (including junk folders) for communication regarding your travel credits.

Explore our specific elite status extension details for Southwest Airlines , along with what other major airlines are granting for their elite status travelers.

Credit Card Incentives

Beyond the typical introductory offers, Southwest Airlines offered some additional incentives for Southwest-branded credit cardholders to earn tier qualifying points (or TQPs) in 2021, though these initiatives have now lapsed.

Keep an eye on this space for any future credit card incentives Southwest might have.

Southwest Airlines has seen schedule reductions as a direct result of COVID-19. Overall, the impact so far has been less than other U.S.-based airlines since Southwest primarily operates domestically.

Southwest  has dramatically increased  Hawaii service — something it cut severely after various stages of quarantine were announced for visitors.

In addition, Southwest added many nonstop (or resumed) routes to the summer 2022 schedule. For the press release, see the Southwest website .

International

During the height of the pandemic, Southwest suspended its entire international network.  Flights have been resuming as local government regulation allows. Most of the additions to the upcoming summer 2022 schedule include nonstop service to its international destinations .

All international destinations that Southwest flies to are currently open for travelers, however, many locations have entry requirements. For detail regarding Southwest’s international destinations, see its website for updated information.

The airline received governmental aid as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act . Under the terms of this aid, Southwest was required to not lay off, furlough, or reduce salaries for employees through September 30, 2021.

In fact, during the Q3 2021 earnings release call , Southwest noted that “we are aggressively hiring to a goal of approximately 5,000 new Employees by the end of this year, and we are currently more than halfway toward that goal.”

Additional safety precautions have been made in the cabin as a result of the pandemic.

Food and Beverage Service

Hot Tip: Southwest’s food and beverage service has resumed on all flights, including alcoholic beverages.

For flights over 250 miles, Southwest is serving “a limited selection of non-alcoholic beverages and snacks.”

For flights that are shorter than 250 miles,  Southwest temporarily suspended all onboard beverage and snack service  until further notice.  You are always able to bring your own snacks and beverages onboard.

Seating Arrangements

Southwest Airlines does not assign seats nor allow you to buy the extra middle seat. You can board and select your seat in the order noted on your boarding pass. Seats are not blocked off.

Disinfection Changes

As of May 1, 2020, new procedures “will introduce additional cleaning between flights to supplement the work of Flight Attendants who keep cabins tidy.” Southwest Airlines also notes that it has “enhanced our overnight cleaning procedures. In addition to tidying each aircraft between flights, we spend more than 6 hours cleaning each aircraft every night.”

However, as of August 2021, Southwest decreased its COVID-19 sanitation procedures due to an increased schedule. Specifically, Southwest is only disinfecting high-touch areas like lavatories and tray tables between flights. Armrests and seat belts will not be disinfected between flights and only cleaned in the evenings.

The EPA-approved disinfectant, which was previously only used to clean the lavatories, is now being used throughout the aircraft . Southwest indicates that “these procedures meet or exceed recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).”

In terms of air quality, it states that the onboard HEPA filters and the air circulation system exceed “the quality of air that can be found outdoors, as well as a typical office building or similar public venue. On average, a complete exchange of cabin air and outside air is accomplished every 3 minutes.”

Hot Tip: On April 18, 2022, a federal judge struck down the mask mandate and policies are now up to the individual airline. Southwest Airlines is no longer requiring masks on planes.

Flight Attendants

Since May 3, 2020, Southwest has required customer-facing employees to wear face masks or coverings.

Since May 11, 2020, customers are required to wear face coverings or a mask. Southwest will provide a mask if a customer forgets their mask. Southwest will also distribute sanitizing wipes to passengers who need them.

Southwest won’t let you board without a mask, even if you have a valid medical condition that precludes you from wearing one. Masks are required for everyone above the age of 2. See the updated mask policy .

Boarding and Deplaning Process Changes

While Southwest was requiring groups to board in groups of 10, as of April 2021, this is no longer the case. Southwest has resumed boarding at its pre-pandemic groupings of 30.

Health Declaration

Beginning on June 16, 2020, Southwest announced that a “Customer Health Declaration” must be acknowledged during online check-in (via the Southwest app, Southwest.com, SWABIZ.com, or the carrier’s mobile website).

Passengers will be required to acknowledge an awareness of the carrier’s face-covering policy and confirm that they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19 in the 10 days prior to travel. They will also have to confirm that they do not have a fever when they travel.

Southwest has not reduced flights as much as competitors like United Airlines , Delta Air Lines , and American Airlines . This means that fewer planes are being parked, but there is still a small reduction in Southwest’s operating fleet.

On the Q3 2021 earnings call , Southwest noted that “as of September 30, 2021, 24 -700 aircraft remained in temporary storage due to fourth-quarter 2021 capacity remaining below fourth quarter 2019 levels.”

Southwest’s operations have suffered less than its competitors, but it has still been greatly impacted by COVID-19.

If you find that you must travel, there are increased measures to keep you safe at the airport and on your flight. Food and beverage services have been temporarily altered and additional disinfection procedures will help keep you safe. Needless to say — your next flight on Southwest will look a bit different.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i still earn my companion pass because of coronavirus.

If you already have a Companion Pass through June 30, 2021, you should have received an extension of this benefit through December 31, 2021.

There are currently no announced concessions in place for 2022, but this may change.

How do I cancel my Southwest flight?

Southwest Airlines never charges cancellation or change fees.

If your travel funds were originally set to expire or created between March 1, 2020, and September 7, 2020, you would have received a travel credit that you can use for travel through September 7, 2022. See Southwest’s website for more information.

Do I need to take a COVID-19 test before flying on Southwest?

Southwest Airlines itself is not requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test to fly. However, if you are flying to a location that is requiring a negative COVID-19 test, Southwest will ask for proof prior to boarding.

Currently, you must show evidence of a negative COVID-19 test to travel back to the U.S. from international destinations. Check the Southwest COVID-19 site for more details.

Do I need to wear a mask on Southwest?

Yes. Federal law requires every passenger (over the age of 2) to wear a mask at all times in the airport and throughout the flight. Refusing to wear a mask can result in denial of boarding, removal from the aircraft, and/or penalties under federal law.

Please click here  for Southwest’s mask policy.

Was this page helpful?

About Christy Rodriguez

After having “non-rev” privileges with Southwest Airlines, Christy dove into the world of points and miles so she could continue traveling for free. Her other passion is personal finance, and is a certified CPA.

Discover the exact steps we use to get into  1,400+ airport lounges worldwide, for free  (even if you’re flying economy!).

We respect your privacy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's  privacy policy  and  terms of service  apply.

Related Posts

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation  calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

Southwest Passengers Can Now Get an At-home COVID-19 Test in the Mail

Each testing kit comes with a CDC-approved rapid antigen test and a virtual appointment with a CityHealth testing specialist.

Meena Thiruvengadam is a lifelong traveler and veteran journalist who has visited more than 50 countries across six continents. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal , Departures , TripSavvy , and other publications.

It's about to get a little less complicated to get back home from abroad if you're flying on Southwest Airlines.

The airline is partnering with CityHealth, a Bay Area healthcare company, to provide discounted COVID-19 test kits for passengers traveling back to the U.S. from international destinations, Southwest announced recently.

Appropriately named "RapidReturn," the test kits don't require travelers to download any additional apps or use a specific operating system to obtain test results. Instead, all that's needed is WiFi and a video-enabled device, like a cell phone, laptop, or tablet.

Each kit comes with a CDC-approved rapid antigen test and a virtual appointment with a CityHealth testing specialist. Specialists are available around the clock, and for anyone testing negative for COVID-19, the company promises a secure link to a health certificate in around three minutes.

"Since it was launched, the RapidReturn kit has been one of our most popular COVID testing options," Sean Parkin, CEO of CityHealth , said in a statement.

The kits have a retail sales price of $75, but Southwest customers traveling on international routes can purchase them for $50 each before or after they purchase airline tickets. Travelers not flying on Southwest can purchase kits at full price and forget about having to spend the last day of their vacation tracking down COVID-19 tests to return home.

Tests are currently out of stock but travelers are encouraged to check the website for availability.

The U.S. is requiring all international travelers, including vaccinated U.S. citizens, to test negative for the coronavirus within a day of their departure to the U.S.

"The quick return of results will help Southwest passengers stay in compliance with the new one-day testing rule," Parkin said.

The company also promises a more comfortable testing experience, thanks to slimmer swabs. And if you're nervous testing yourself, the kit comes with a backup swab and testing device, should you mess up on the first try.

Meena Thiruvengadam loves wandering new streets and discovering the world's stories. Find her on Facebook , Instagram , or at the airport, and subscribe to her newsletter .

Related Articles

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

Should I Fly Southwest Airlines?

Lee is a freelance travel writer and podcast host based in Nashville, Tennessee. He loves to travel with his wife and two children using miles and points. Lee has held the Southwest Companion Pass since 2007 and enjoys being spoiled thanks to his Kimpton Inner Circle status.

Elina Geller is a former NerdWallet travel writer specializing in airline and hotel loyalty programs and travel insurance. In 2019, Elina founded TheMissMiles, a travel rewards coaching business. Her work has been featured by AwardWallet. She is a certified public accountant with degrees from the London School of Economics and Fordham University.

Megan Lee joined the travel rewards team at NerdWallet with over 12 years of SEO, writing and content development experience, primarily in international education and nonprofit work. She has been published in U.S. News & World Report, USA Today and elsewhere, and has spoken at conferences like that of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Megan has built and directed remote content teams and editorial strategies for websites like GoAbroad and Go Overseas. When not traveling, Megan adventures around her Midwest home base where she likes to attend theme parties, ride her bike and cook Asian food.

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

Does Southwest require a COVID test for domestic flights?

What to expect when flying southwest during the pandemic, southwest remains a solid airline choice.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Southwest launched its Southwest Promise to address how COVID changes the way we travel. Now that a vaccine is being distributed, more and more travelers are looking forward to flying again. Accordingly, many travelers are asking themselves: Should I fly Southwest Airlines?

Here’s what you need to know about the Southwest policies on fees and the many reasons why Southwest Airlines is still a solid option for travelers.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

Due to the evolving pandemic, travel requirements change often. To check the latest guidelines for international and domestic flights on Southwest, check out: southwest.com/coronavirus .

No change fees

Whether you're flying on a cash ticket or an award reservation, Southwest doesn't charge any fees for changing or canceling your flight. When you pick a new flight, if it costs more, you'll simply pay the extra cost in cash or points. For flights that cost less, you'll receive a refund of the cash or points that can be used for future travel.

» Learn more: How to use travel funds on Southwest Airlines

The way refunds are distributed still depends on your fare type

Depending on the type of ticket you buy, your refund may have limitations. Southwest's cheapest fares, Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus, will have refunds in the form of a flight credit that doesn't expire. You have your choice of credits from Anytime and Business Select fares: Choose a future flight credit or have funds returned back to your original form of payment.

What's even better is that there is no limit to the number of times that you can change your flight without paying a fee.

You can rebook the same flight to save money

Not only can you cancel or change your flight to save money, but the same is also true for rebooking the same flight. Southwest Airlines has fare sales on a regular basis. If you find the same flight for less, you can rebook your flight to pocket the difference (sometimes as a credit and sometimes as a refund). This is a rarity among airlines.

» Learn more: How to rebook and save when Southwest flight prices drop

Two free checked bags

While competing airlines continue to raise the cost of checking a bag, Southwest still offers two free checked bags for every customer. As long as your bag is under 50 pounds and 62 inches, it's free. Other airlines charge up to $35 per bag each way when flying. For a family of four, that's $280 for a round trip flight.

Strollers and car seats can also be checked for free, which is a welcome relief for families. These items do not count toward the two free checked bags either and, if you decide to carry-on the car seat for your child, it doesn't count against the carry-on limits.

For adventure lovers, snowboards can be checked as one of your free checked bags. Just be careful — the 50-pound limit still applies.

» Learn more: Your guide to booking award flights on Southwest

No fees to sit together

Southwest doesn't have assigned seating, so you may be wondering what to expect when you fly Southwest Airlines. On Southwest, it is first-come, first-served when picking seats on the plane. Because of this, it is possible for your entire group to sit together without paying any extra fees.

If you're worried about sitting together on a packed flight, travelers can pay for EarlyBird boarding access. This benefit checks you in 36 hours before departure, which means you check in ahead of passengers without a Business Select ticket or A-List elite status. Checking in early bumps you up in the line and gives you earlier boarding access ahead of regular passengers.

When there are spots available, you can also purchase upgraded boarding passes (either at the gate on departure day, or within 24 hours of departure through Southwest's website ), which will move you up to the A1 to A15 boarding group. The cost is $30 to $80 per segment, depending on your itinerary. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card gives cardholders four free upgraded boardings every year.

A growing number of destinations

Southwest Airlines started out as a regional airline in Texas. Now, it is one of the largest U.S. carriers. Southwest now serves over 100 destinations across the U.S. (including Hawaii) and 10 additional countries.

If you're looking to fly within the U.S., Mexico, Central America or the Caribbean, there's a good chance that Southwest can take you there. This gives you plenty of options in planning your next long-awaited vacation.

» Learn more: Southwest Airlines sweet spots

No blackout dates

There are no blackout dates when redeeming your Rapid Rewards points for a flight on Southwest Airlines. As long as there's an open seat on that flight, you can use points to book the reservation.

Extended Companion Pass benefits

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best benefits available among all airlines. Once you've earned this status, your designated companion can travel for nearly free wherever you are flying, whether you booked using cash or points. You're only responsible for the associated taxes and fees that apply.

» Learn more: Guide to earning Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points

Easier-to-earn A-List elite status

Southwest offers two levels of elite status — A-List and A-List Preferred — for travelers who fly it the most. A-List provides priority boarding, same-day standby, priority check-in and a 25% earning bonus on paid flights. A-List Preferred members have those same benefits, plus a 100% earning bonus and free in-flight Wi-Fi.

To help travelers in 2021, Southwest gave existing customers a points boost toward earning status:

15,000 tier qualifying points toward A-List.

10 qualifying flight credits toward A-List.

25,000 Companion Pass qualifying points.

25 qualifying flight credits toward Companion Pass.

To earn your elite status, you'll need to complete 25 one-way flights or earn 35,000 tier qualifying points for A-List, or 50 one-way flights and 70,000 TQPs for A-List Preferred.

» Learn more: Is Southwest Airlines good?

Southwest Airlines offers a lot of value for travelers who are looking to fly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Southwest policies on fees are very generous and tailor-made for uncertain COVID-era travel: No fees to cancel or change a flight, every passenger gets two free checked bags, and it's easier than ever to earn elite status.

The airline's network of destinations continues to grow, and frequent travelers can earn attractive benefits through elite status and the Companion Pass. If you’re still wondering if you should fly Southwest Airlines, the answer is yes for anyone who lives near a hub or travels frequently on a route serviced by the airline.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Southwest is under pressure to make big changes to its planes, flights, and bag rules: Here's what they could all look like

• An activist investor has bought a big stake in Southwest Airlines and is asking for major changes.
• Elliott Management wants a new CEO and a total review of Southwest's business model.
• The hedge fund wants to fix outdated systems and has suggested more add-on fees to increase revenue.

Activist firm Elliott Investment Management has taken a $1.9 billion stake in Southwest Airlines and has proposed big changes — including a new CEO — to shore up the company's stock price and fix what it's called mismanagement.

Many of the changes are behind the scenes, like a board shake-up and new C-suite talent, but others (if enacted) could affect Southwest's quirky customer-facing features that make it a unique carrier in an industry that increasingly looks the same these days.

In some cases, Southwest is already considering changes or has been rumored to for years . Other changes would be brand new for the 57-year-old airline.

"We are convinced that Southwest represents the most compelling airline turnaround opportunity in the last two decades," Elliott said in its letter to Southwest's management on June 10.

Elliott has pointed to possible revenue opportunities for items like bags and seats, while experts told Business Insider that changes to Southwest's network and systems could give customers more choice.

"They want the airline to start acting like every other airline, like charging for checked bags, introducing basic economy, creating an extra legroom coach seat, and more," Henry Harteveldt, a travel analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group, said.

Southwest could charge for bags — one of its biggest free perks

Elliott's proposal called attention to one of Southwest's most visible perks: two free checked bags. The proposal suggested unbundling the fare and charging for bags could generate more revenue.

However, Richard Aboulafia, managing director of aerospace consulting firm AeroDynamic Advisory, told BI that Southwest and its customers may resist the idea as the perk boosts loyalty.

Southwest CEO Robert Jordan said at a Politico event in June that 50% of the company's consumer base chooses Southwest because of the free checked bag policy, Reuters reported. CCO Ryan Green told CNBC in April the change was not on the table.

There is a way for both sides to win, according to Harteveldt: Give free checked bags to Southwest credit card holders.

American, Delta, and United offer complimentary checked bags as credit card perks. Southwest could capitalize on the same strategy with its co-branded Chase cards.

Related stories

Baggage fees were worth an estimated $33.3 billion to global airlines in 2023, according to a report from IdeaWorksCompany, a consultancy for airline ancillary revenues.

The airline was already thinking about changing open seating

Southwest has for months been discussing changes to its seating policy as a way to boost revenue, but Green told CNBC that adding another cabin to the aircraft — à la business class or premium economy —is unlikely.

Elliott suggested seat assignments could be a lucrative revenue stream. Southwest already earns ancillary revenue for early boarding — and it recently increased the price for that perk.

Business travelers, for example, may be willing to pay for a specific seat. And even leisure travelers, like those with families, "don't want to play boarding bingo," Harteveldt said.

Mainline carriers like American, Delta, and United have found much success in their discounted "basic economy" fares, which offer a cheaper base fare but charge for seats — and they can make a lot of money selling premium seats in exit rows and closer to the front for an extra fee.

Southwest was slow to consider red-eye flights

Southwest is planning to add red-eye flights starting in 2026, launching from hot-spot destinations like Las Vegas and Hawaii, Green said at a conference in March.

The additional flights can give travelers more flexibility and give Southwest more seats to sell on a route.

According to The Seattle Times , Southwest has been able to offer overnight flights since 2017 thanks to its upgraded reservation system but has waited years to implement the option.

"It wasn't a reservation system limitation at the time," Harteveldt said, referring to when Southwest upgraded its IT. "It may have been a limitation within other parts of Southwest's operational infrastructure."

Updated technology behind the scenes could improve the customer experience

Elliott pointed to Southwest's outdated systems in its proposal, citing a December 2022 meltdown that left millions of people stranded due to Southwest's antiquated crew-scheduling software that couldn't keep up with the disruptions.

Beyond that, Harteveldt said Southwest's reservation system does not accept foreign currency. In fact, the carrier can't fly to Canada because it does not accept Canadian dollars, as required by local law.

Southwest has only recently invested in systems that would allow it to codeshare with other airlines, Harteveldt said — another modern strategy common among many US airlines.

Codesharing could open overseas connectivity to Europe and Asia, for example, similar to Alaska's partnership with the Oneworld alliance.

"In some ways, what Elliot may do is force Southwest to accelerate making some of the changes it has already been considering, and that's not a bad thing," Harteveldt said.

Regardless, experts said Southwest's challenge lies in making any short or long-term changes without disrupting its huge consumer base — people loyal to the airline because of its extensive freebies and customer-focused culture.

Southwest has defended its CEO and board, telling BI it looks "forward to better understanding [Elliott's] views on our company." Jordan told reporters after an event in Washington on June 12 that he had no intention of resigning, Reuters reported.

"We want to understand what their ideas are, they may have great ideas," he said. "At the end of the day, we are going to treat Elliott like any other investor. We'll sit down and listen to them."

Watch: Thousands of bags pile up at US airports after flight cancellations

• Main content

• Book a Flight
• Manage Reservations
• Explore Destinations
• Flight Schedules
• Track Checked Bags
• International Travel
• Flight Offers
• Low Fare Calendar
• Upgrade My Flight
• Add EarlyBird Check-In
• Check Travel Funds
• Buy Carbon Offsets
• Flying with Southwest
• Book a Hotel
• Redeem Points for Hotels
• More Than Hotels
• Hotel Offers
• Best Rate Guarantee
• Rapid Rewards Partners
• Book a Vacation Package
• Manage My Vacation
• Vacation Package Offers
• Vacation Destinations
• Why Book With Us?
• FLIGHT STATUS
• CHANGE FLIGHT

UponArriving

28 Tips for Flying Southwest Airlines (Baggage, Check-in, Boarding)

Southwest Airlines is one of my favorite airlines to fly for a host of reasons but mostly because of the value I can get with cheap fares and easy Rapid Rewards earning opportunities.

There are a lot of things to know about Southwest that can make your booking and flight experience much smoother and save you time and money in the future, especially if you’re flying them for the first time.

So here are 28 tips for flying Southwest Airlines that cover everything from baggage, check-in, and boarding to saving money and points on flights.

If you’re more of a visual person check out the YouTube video and infographic at the end of the article! 

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out!

Table of Contents

Tips for Flying Southwest Airlines

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

1. Get the Southwest Companion Pass

The biggest tip I could ever offer if you want to maximize value with Southwest, is to look into getting the Southwest Companion Pass. This allows a companion to fly for free with you on any Southwest flights for up to two years!

The Companion Pass can easily be obtained by getting two credit cards from Chase.

The Chase Southwest cards come with bonuses with as much as 80,000 Rapid Rewards. Since you only 125,000 Rapid Rewards (or 100 one-way qualifying flight flights) for the Southwest Companion Pass, this allows you to instantly obtain the Companion Pass !

That pass can be worth well over $3,000 so if you’re looking to save money with Southwest, definitely consider this.

2. Get the best Southwest credit card offers

As I just mentioned, Southwest credit cards offer different types of bonuses all of the time — we’ve seen offers range from 25,000 points to 60,000 points for these cards!

Try to seek out the best offers for the business Southwest credit card and for the personal cards like the Southwest Premier and Southwest Plus.

While you are limited to one personal card, it is possible to get a personal card and a business card but I would wait 30 days in-between applications.

Also note that if a higher offer comes out within 90 days of you applying, ask Chase to match you to the higher offer and they usually will!

3. Know which Southwest 737 seats have extra leg room

Almost the entire Southwest Airlines fleet consists of 737-700s and 737-800s. In fact,  Southwest is the largest operator of the Boeing 737 worldwide!

This means you can expect virtually the same flight experience each flight.

If you like to seek out extra leg room or upgrade to business select in order to snag the emergency exit rows with more room, knowing which type of plane will be flying is key since the 737-800s have an extra “2-person row.”

You can see the difference between the two seat maps below.

The 737-800 (pictured on the right) is bigger and has more seats with extra legroom. Some seats might have limited recline or bad window views, though. You can read more about the specific differences between Southwest seats here . Also, be sure to read how to find the best seat on southwest .

4. Southwest is the largest “point to point” operator in the US

Southwest is the largest “point-to-point” operator in the US. This means that it’s extra easy to find direct flights to many destinations versus other airlines who operate with more of a true hub model.

If you hate extra flying, Southwest could offer you an escape!

5. Southwest serves secondary airports

One of the potential drawbacks to Southwest’s network is that they serve a lot of secondary airports. For example, in Houston, Southwest serves Hobby (HOU) instead of George Bush Intercontinental (IAH).

This often means going without nice airport lounges or other amenities but also means traveling through smaller airports that are often easier to get in and out of.

• You can search routes and airpots served here .

6. Southwest does not have a true business class or first class

Most airlines have a separate cabin for business class or first class with nicer, more comfy seating — but not Southwest. Every seat is virtually the same and there are no rows dedicated for premier seating.

Southwest does have “Business Select” fare which offers priority security/check-in, flexible cancellation, a free premium drink, and priority boarding (A1 to A15) but you’re not given a seat with more legroom or comfort. It also comes with additional perks like better earning rate and you can click here to find out if if Business Select if worth it for you. 

7. Southwest has a unique boarding method

You do not select or get assigned a specific seat for Southwest flights.

Instead, you check-in at exactly 24 hours before the flight and then you are assigned to a number in either Group A, B, or C. Starting with Group A, each group will board the plane in order based on the number each passenger received at check-in.

It’s a surprisingly efficient process but does cause some people worry that they can’t select their seat when they purchase their ticket. You can read more about the boarding process here .

8. Saving seats on Southwest

There’s long running debates about whether or not you should be allowed to save seats on Southwest.

Although I think it’s acceptable to save seats within reason, it’s something you typically want to avoid if you can. However, if you need to save seats for several passengers, people are much more understanding if your saved seats are near the back of the plane. Trying to save a row of seats up front is practically begging for confrontation.

9. Two free checked bags

Southwest allows each passenger two free checked bags . So you usually don’t have to worry about paying for your luggage. If you want to check a third bag, it will cost you $75.

If you’re considering flying with low-cost carriers like Frontier and Spirit, be sure to factor these savings in!

• Read more about the baggage policies here .

10. You get free drinks and snacks

On Southwest flights you’ll be given free snacks like pretzels and peanuts (on longer flights you might get Nabisco crackers/cookies). You’ll also be given free non-alcoholic drinks on your flight. While these snacks are convenient, you probably want to bring a sandwich or something with you on board if you think you’ll get hungry on a longer flight.

11. Get “real drinks” for free

If you’re flying on a holiday or it’s near your birthday or anniversary, you should let the flight attendants know and they might hook you up with a free drink or two. We’ve also gotten free drinks from just starting conversations with some of the nice flight attendants.

• Read more about how to get free drinks here . 

12. Wanna Get Away fares offer great value

Wanna Get Away fares are the cheapest Southwest fares and don’t allow you to cancel them and get a cash refund (though you still get a credit for the originally ticketed passenger only). These fares can be dirt cheap , especially when Southwest runs flash sales.

These flash sales come around a few times a year and offer some exceptionally low fares as low as $40 one way . Keep an eye out for these fares because they can save you tons but you they require you to act fast and are often limited to flights on certain days of the week (that aren’t very desirable like Tuesday or Wednesday).

• When these sales aren’t running you can still check the low-fare routes by using this tool.

13. Last-minute flights are expensive

One important tip for flying Southwest, is that last minute flights on Southwest can be  very expensive . It’s somewhat dependent on the route but it usually pays to book Southwest flight well in advance.

This is especially true when flying internationally — for more on all of the Southwest international routes and prices, click here ! 

14. You can fly stand by

Business Select, Anytime fares, and A-List members can opt for earlier flights when they have opened up free of charge.

But  Business Select and Anytime fares can simply be changed to earlier flights when there’s availability so sometimes it doesn’t make sense to go the standby route.

Wanna Get Away passengers can sometimes get put on standby two hours before or after their flight — this is an unstated policy though so YMMV.

The deadline for making changes to your flight is 1 hour prior to departure .

15. Southwest doesn’t release flights one year in advance

Unlike many other carriers, Southwest does not allow you to book flights a year out in advance. Instead, you may only find flights about 7 months in advance.

Southwest will publish their release dates and you should be able to start making bookings early that morning (though sometimes technical difficulties require you to wait).

With the new flights coming to Hawaii, you’ll definitely want to jump on some of these routes as quickly as possible to lock down the best rates

Click here to see the latest release dates.

16. Rebook Southwest flights to save $

Southwest allows you to make changes for free to your flights. If you change your flight, you’ll only be responsible for the difference between the fares. This can work in your favor if the price decreases from the time of your purchase.

If the price in cash or Rapid Rewards goes down from the time you book, you can rebook your flights and be credited for the difference. Wanna Get Away fares get a travel credit and Business Select and Anytime can get a cash refund.

When the flash deals come out always check if your route is cheaper.

• Read more about how to cancel and change flights here .

17. You can cancel 10 minutes prior to departure

Regardless of the type of fare that you purchase, you can cancel your fare 10 minutes prior to departure. If you’ve purchased an Anytime fare or Business Select, you’ll simply get a refund but if you purchased an Anytime fare you’ll be issued travel funds.

Southwest travel funds will expire one year from the purchase date (booking date) of the original flight and can only be used for the passenger who had their ticket cancelled.  

18. Convert travel funds to LUV vouchers

Some people have been able to extend the expiration date for their travel funds after they expire by paying a $100 reinstatement fee. The travel funds are then converted into LUV vouchers when the reinstatement takes place.  You may only have 6 months to request the reinstatement and the voucher may only be valid for 6 months from issue. 

The good thing about getting a travel voucher is that you can use that for anybody. So in some instances, it could be very well worth it to pay $100 dollars so that you can apply those funds to a different traveler.

• Read more about this here.

19. Hawaii and the “Southwest effect”

Studies have shown that when Southwest begins flying to a destination, prices usually lower (this is called the Southwest Effect ). This is great news because Southwest is getting ready to start flying to Hawaii !

So you might seeing some more reasonable prices to Hawaii pretty soon.

20. Earning Southwest Rapid Rewards

You earn Rapid Rewards based on the type of fare your purchased. You’ll 6X the points per dollar for Wanna Get Away fares, 10X for Anytime, and 12X for Business Select. As you climb into A-List and A-List Preferred your earning rates go up.

Here are the earnings for an A-List and A-List Preferred member.

• 7.5X per dollar for Wanna Get Away fares
• 12.5X per dollar for Anytime fares
• 15X per dollar for Business Select

A-List Preferred

• 12X per dollar for Wanna Get Away fares
• 20X per dollar for Anytime fares
• 24X per dollar for Business Select

• You can read more about the earning structure here .

21. The value of Rapid Rewards is tied to the cost of the flight

Unlike points from airlines like United and American and many other airlines, the value of Rapid Rewards are directly tied to the cost of the current price of the that airline ticket.

So a flight that costs $400 will require about 2X the amount of Rapid Rewards as a flight that costs $200. I say “about” because there are some fluctuations. Typically, your Southwest points will be worth between 1.4 to 1.6 cents per point but sometimes the value can fluctuate even more.

22. How to know when to use Rapid Rewards

To determine if using Rapid Rewards is a good idea, you should:

• Find the cash price of the ticket
• Subtract the award fees from that price (usually $5.60)
• Divide that number by the required amount of Rapid Rewards
• Multiple that number 100
• If that figure is below 1.3, you may not want to use your points. 

To get an even more accurate figure, you can also subtract the value of the Rapid Rewards you would have earned on your flight for Step 2. For example, if you found a $100 cash fare for a one-way ticket you’d subtract $5.60 + however much you value the Rapid Rewards you’d earn.

23. Earn Extra Rapid Rewards

Southwest has a shopping portal and a dining portal. Both of these allow you to earn extra Southwest points when you shop at certain stores or visit certain establishments.

Read more about how to maximize earnings with the shopping portal here .

You can also earn Southwest Rapid Rewards when you stay at certain hotel partners , book rental cars ,  and sign-up for utility plans in certain states .

24. You probably don’t need EarlyBird

EarlyBird will automatically check you in 24 hours before the flight, allowing you to more easily secure a good seat — usually a high A or low B boarding pass.

Unless you’re going to be away from a computer or mobile device at exactly 24 hours before your flight, you usually don’t need Southwest EarlyBird . Just setting an alarm to remind you to check-in is usually all you need.

• You can read more about whether or not it’s worth it to purchase EarlyBird here.

25. Kids 6 or under?

If you’re traveling with kids 6 or under, you’ll be able to board during Family Boarding which is right after Group A and before Group B. If that’s the case, you really won’t need EarlyBird.

26. Flying with kids under 2?

Southwest allows kids under 2 to fly for free. However, they do require you to bring a brith certificate with you to verify the age.

A medical release for travel is required for any infant under 14 days old.

• Read more about flying with infants and children .

27. Upgrade to Business Select

Instead of paying the high prices for business select, consider upgrading to business select at the gate. It will cost you $30 to $50 depending on the distance of the route .

I usually first inquire about which spot we’ll be given upon upgrading. For example, it might be A1 or A10, you never know. If it’s near the top, that almost always means that seats in the emergency exit rows will be available (and so you might be able to get the row with only two seats or extra leg room).

This usually doesn’t work on routes with high business travel traffic but often works out great when flying to places like the Caribbean. You can read more about upgrading to business select here .

28. Bring something to entertain you

Southwest is not like other alines, such as JetBlue that offer screens for you to enjoy in-flight entertainment. For this reason, you need to make sure you have the battery power or literature, puzzles, etc. you need to keep yourself entertained for the duration of the flight.

Some Southwest flights will have wi-fi, though. You can check if your Southwest flight will have wifi here .

If your flight has wi-fi then you can use the Airtime Player app to use view features a flight tracker, arrival and connecting gate information, games, and access to Southwest.com (it’s free to access all of that).

If you want to pay for wifi, you can watch free live TV, on-demand TV, movies, and enjoy web browsing and messaging during your flight. You can read more about the in-flight entertainment here .

You must download the Airtime Player app before boarding if you want to view a movie or on-demand TV.

Here are the download links for that app:

• Download for iOS®
• Download for Android

Despite the lack of premium experience available, Southwest has a lot to offer in terms of cheap flights with quality service. You know exactly what you’re going to get with Southwest and if you know when and where to look, you can tap into some extreme savings by flying Southwest.

Cover photo by  Tomás Del Coro  via Flickr .

Southwest YouTube video

Southwest Infographic

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

One comment

Nice flow chart. Enjoy the video. Also the links where you can read more about what you talked about in video. Thanks for taking the time to do.

Comments are closed.

Privacy Overview

Southwest Airlines Says a Key Measure of Pricing Power Will Be Weaker Than Expected in 2Q

Southwest Airlines says a key revenue ratio will be weaker than expected in the second quarter because of changes in how consumers book travel

Kiichiro Sato

FILE - A Southwest Airlines plane prepares to land at Midway International Airport while another taxis on the ground, Feb. 12, 2023, in Chicago. On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, Southwest Airlines said a key revenue ratio will be weaker than expected in the second quarter because of changes in how consumers book travel. That's not good news for Southwest, which is already under pressure from a hedge fund to make big changes, including getting rid of the CEO. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines, already under pressure from a hedge fund for disappointing financial results, said Wednesday that a key revenue ratio will be weaker than expected because of changes in how consumers book travel.

The airline said it still expects second-quarter revenue to hit a record.

However, Southwest said, revenue for each seat flown one mile – a closely watched measure of pricing power – will fall by 4% to 4.5% compared with the same quarter last year. In April, the airline said the decline would be 1.5% to 3.5%.

Costs per mile will rise by 6.5% to 7.5% compared with a year ago, said the airline, which is dealing with rising labor costs.

The Dallas-based carrier said the revenue per mile outlook is worsening mostly due to “complexities” in adapting its pricing to "current booking patterns in this dynamic environment.”

Travel is booming. Airlines expect a record number of passengers this summer, but they have undercut their pricing power by adding more flights and seats. Southwest still plans to increase flying by 8% to 9% over the second quarter of last year.

After losing $231 million in the first quarter, Southwest announced it will end service at four airports and shrink its work force by 2,000 people this year.

This month, hedge fund Elliott Investment Management bought a $1.9 billion stake in Southwest and called for the ouster of CEO Robert Jordan and former CEO and current Chairman Gary Kelly, saying they had failed to modernize the airline's technology and strategy to keep up with changes in travel.

Jordan says he is not resigning , and he promises to unveil a plan to boost profit during an investor day in September.

Elliott said Wednesday marked the eighth time Southwest had lowered financial guidance in 18 months.

“Southwest’s industry-trailing revenue performance is clearly continuing along the same disappointing trend line, despite management’s repeated promises for improvement,” two of the firm's executives said in a statement. “Southwest is led by a team that has proven unable to adapt to the modern airline industry.”

Southwest shares fell more than 4% Wednesday morning before recovering to close down a fraction of 1%. Shares are down about 15% in the past year, while the S&P 500 index is up 28%.

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Photos You Should See - June 2024

Join the Conversation

Tags: Associated Press , business , Texas

Related Articles

Best states.

America 2024

Best States Rankings

• # 2 New Hampshire
• # 3 Nebraska
• # 4 Minnesota

Healthiest Communities

Your trusted source for in-depth analysis on the issues impacting your community’s well-being delivered right to your inbox.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 best states in america.

Elliott Davis Jr. May 7, 2024

Why Utah Is the Best State

Elliott Davis Jr. and Julia Haines May 7, 2024

Why Florida Is No. 1 in Education

Tim Smart May 7, 2024

Animal Rescuers Try to Keep Dozens of Dolphins Away From Cape Cod Shallows After Mass Stranding

Associated Press June 29, 2024

Biden Is Making Appeals to Donors as Concerns Persist Over His Presidential Debate Performance

Former Northeastern University Lab Manager Convicted of Staging Hoax Explosion at Boston Campus

A San Francisco Store Is Shipping LGBTQ+ Books to States Where They Are Banned

Driver Charged With DUI for New York Nail Salon Crash That Killed 4 and Injured 9

New Jersey Governor Signs Budget Boosting Taxes on Companies Making Over $10 Million

What to Know About Water Safety Before Heading to the Beach or Pool This Summer

How to earn and use the Southwest Companion Pass

One of the most advantageous offerings in the travel industry is the Southwest Companion Pass . This pass grants you the privilege of bringing a companion along for free (excluding applicable taxes and fees) on an unlimited number of Southwest Airlines flights until the pass expires. For frequent Southwest flyers, this benefit alone can easily amount to thousands of dollars saved annually.

However, the question arises: How does one earn this highly coveted golden ticket? To obtain the pass, you must earn 135,000 qualifying points (or complete 100 one-way qualifying flights) within a calendar year. This achievement will grant you the pass for the remainder of the calendar year in which you earned it and the entirety of the following year. While earning such a substantial number of points may seem daunting, you can expedite the process by taking advantage of the welcome bonus offered by a Southwest cobranded credit card .

Let's delve into the steps to obtain the pass and explore how to maximize this incredible privilege once it is in your possession.

How to earn the Southwest Companion Pass

To earn the Southwest Companion Pass, you have two options: Earn 135,000 qualifying points or complete 100 qualifying one-way flights within a calendar year.

You can earn qualifying points through various means, such as by flying with Southwest or engaging with its partners. The latter includes making purchases via the Southwest shopping portal, reserving hotels with Southwest partners and using a Southwest credit card for your everyday expenses.

Opting for a Southwest cobranded credit card is often the simplest way to earn the Companion Pass since it allows you to earn points effortlessly, and the welcome bonuses count toward the requirement as well. Additionally, holders of a Southwest cobranded credit card receive 10,000 qualifying points annually, effectively reducing the total requirement to 125,000 qualifying points per year.

Southwest offers various credit card promotions that facilitate earning the Companion Pass.

The following cobranded consumer credit cards are offering identical welcome offers: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

Additionally, Southwest offers the following business cards, and you can earn up to 120,000 bonus points by meeting the tiered spending requirements.

• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card : Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening and an additional 60,000 bonus points when you spend $15,000 in nine months.
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card : Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening and an additional 40,000 bonus points when you spend $15,000 in nine months.

These are the best offers we've seen on these cards . It's not often we see such high sign-up offers for Southwest credit cards, so jump on this deal if you've been considering getting a new business card.

If you aim to earn the Companion Pass — which you can snag for the remainder of 2024 and 2025 — be sure you meet the spending threshold before the end of the calendar year, as qualifying point totals to earn the lucrative pass restart on Jan. 1.

Related: I flew to Atlanta for the day to earn a 2-month Southwest Companion Pass — here's why (and how it went)

How to use the Southwest Companion Pass

Once you've earned a Companion Pass, Southwest makes it incredibly easy to use.

Step 1: Set up your Companion Pass

After earning the Companion Pass, Southwest will send you a congratulatory email within a few days to acknowledge your significant achievement. To track your progress in real time, log in to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account on Southwest.com .

Upon receiving the email, click the provided links to set up your initial companion choice. You must provide your companion's complete name (matching their ID), birth date, email address and Rapid Rewards account number.

Alternatively, you have the option to designate your companion by calling Southwest. However, since the online selection process is straightforward, there is no need to contact the carrier by phone for this particular step.

Step 2: Confirm flight availability for your entire travel party

Now that you have chosen a companion, it's time to enjoy the exciting part: booking a flight where your companion can fly for free (excluding taxes and fees). But before you make a reservation, you must ensure there are enough available seats on the desired flight for your entire travel group. Adding a Companion Pass fare is only possible if a seat is available for purchase.

For instance, if you are a family of four planning to travel with one person using the Companion Pass, search for four seats on the Southwest website. It's important to note that all four seats need not be in the same fare category. If only three seats remain with Wanna Get Away fares but there are also Anytime and Business Select fares available (in addition to the cheaper fares), you can proceed with your booking.

Step 3: Book flights for everyone other than your companion

To use your Companion Pass, the next step is to make flight reservations for everyone in your travel group, excluding the companion. For instance, if you are a family of four with one adult holding the Companion Pass and the other adult being the companion, you should initially book tickets for the Companion Pass holder and the two kids. The companion's tickets should not be booked at this stage.

Most travelers will find it convenient to book flights online at Southwest.com. However, if desired, flights can also be booked over the phone with Southwest phone agents. You can pay for these flights with cash or Rapid Rewards points , as both methods are compatible with the Companion Pass.

If you choose to purchase these tickets with cash, remember to include the Rapid Rewards numbers of all travelers in your booking. There is no need to miss out on earning points, as even children can earn frequent flyer points on Southwest.

Step 4: Make your companion's flight booking

Once you have made flight reservations for all members of your travel group except your companion, it's time to secure a flight reservation for that individual. To ensure that you don't miss out on the ticket availability you confirmed in Step 1, it is crucial to book your companion as soon as possible. This is particularly significant for flights that tend to fill up quickly, such as during peak Christmas dates to and from peak travel destinations.

To proceed, the Companion Pass holder (the first adult in our example) should revisit the Southwest website and log in to their Rapid Rewards account. Access the "My Account" section located at the top of the homepage.

On the left-hand side of the screen, you'll see a section called "My upcoming trips." There, you should see the flight reservation you just made, along with any other upcoming trips with Southwest. If you have many flights reserved, you'll need to click the "See all trips" link for all your reservations to appear.

Underneath your flight details, you'll see a button that says "Add Companion." Click on it.

You'll find that the "Trip & Price Details" are already prefilled with the flight information and the cost of the taxes and fees. In this case, for a domestic one-way trip, that price is just $5.60 for your companion to fly.

Click "Continue" to go to the next page, which includes "Passenger & Payment Info." There, you will find your companion's name and identifying information filled in. With everything prefilled, there is very little chance of a booking mistake.

Finally, you'll be prompted to pay the applicable taxes and fees to secure the flight reservation for the companion. If you have a credit card already saved to your account profile, you can use that to expedite the process.

I have found that booking subsequent flights with a Companion Pass takes just a minute or two after you see how it works the first time. It's that simple.

Additional Southwest Companion Pass tips and tricks

Although using the Southwest Companion Pass is almost always easy, there are a few quirks.

You'll receive separate confirmation numbers

When you book flights for a group or family together, everyone will have the same confirmation number. However, with the Companion Pass, your companion will always be assigned a different Southwest confirmation number than the rest of the party. While this isn't a big deal, it can matter for the strategy surrounding Southwest's unique check-in policy.

When it's time to check in, having two reservation numbers can slow you down in the Southwest fastest-finger game to get a prime boarding position exactly 24 hours before your flight. I recommend having two devices ready to check you and your companion in simultaneously. If you check in one person first and then the other person next, you may lose out on some of the best boarding positions.

Related: Is Southwest EarlyBird Check-In worth it?

You must call to change companions

While you can change your companion three times in a calendar year, Southwest Companion Pass holders should know that this requires a phone call.

The fine print on Southwest's site says that it may take up to 21 business days for processing. In our experience, the companion is always changed nearly instantly. It will take a while for a new Companion Pass card to arrive in the mail for your new companion. Still, the change is usually implemented for online booking purposes within seconds.

Watch out for reservations close together with different companions

While you can change companions up to three times a year, you won't be able to change your companion until you've completed all travel with your current companion. If you have two trips close together with different companions, things can get a bit tricky.

For example, if you have a trip with your child on June 1 and another with your spouse on June 15, you won't be able to add your spouse as a companion to that second trip until after June 1. It is theoretically possible that the June 15 flight could sell out before June 1, leaving your spouse high and dry for the June 15 trip.

Although this situation doesn't arise often, it's an important consideration if you are planning to travel during peak times and/or on popular routes. If a flight does sell out, you may find yourself in the position of having to book a new flight for yourself at a higher price to find an itinerary with space for your companion.

Related: 15 lessons from 15 years of having the Southwest Companion Pass

Bottom line

Using the Southwest Companion Pass is a breeze, and bonuses on Southwest credit cards make it quite simple to earn. Plus, with the elevated business card welcome bonus, snagging a Companion Pass for the remainder of 2024 and 2025 is within reach as long as you can hit the spending requirements before Jan. 1.

Overall, the Southwest Companion Pass is the perfect way to travel more often without breaking the bank.

Carry-on Luggage Size and Weight Limits by Airline (2024)

Text Callout : Key Takeaways - Carry-on Luggage Sizes

If you're traveling with carry-on luggage and/or a personal item , you'll need to adhere to size restrictions in the same way you do with checked bags . These rules include the dimensions of your carry-on bag and, in some scenarios, even the weight.

What size luggage is a carry-on?

While carry-on luggage sizes can vary by airline, several major carriers go by these dimensions.

Airlines calculate carry-on luggage size measurements using two methods:

• Height by width by depth:  Most – but not all – airlines measure bags by inches or centimeters using this formula: height by width by depth, such as 22 x 14 x 9 inches. (Note: The dimensions listed below, which are given according to that formula, may differ slightly from the way each individual airline formats its size requirements.)
• Linear inches:  A few airlines have linear inch restrictions for carry-on baggage, meaning the airline gives one number for the total of all three dimensions. As long as the combined height, width and depth don't exceed that number, you're in the clear.

Can a 24-inch bag be a carry-on?

Yes, a 24-inch bag can be used as a carry-on suitcase when flying with the following airlines: Frontier, Southwest and Sun Country . However, if you're shopping for new carry-on luggage, it's best to opt for something that meets the requirements for most major airlines (22 x 14 x 9 inches or smaller).

Is there a weight limit for carry-on bags?

Most major domestic airlines do not impose a weight limit on carry-on bags; however, several international airlines have weight restrictions for carry-on luggage and, in some cases, personal items.

Carry-on vs. personal item: What's the difference?

A carry-on bag is typically stored in a plane's overhead bin, while a personal item should fit under the seat in front of you. Most airlines allow economy passengers to bring one carry-on and one personal item – such as an underseat bag – at no extra cost.

Carry-on luggage sizes by airline

Click on the major domestic and international airlines below to see their carry-on luggage size restrictions in inches for economy passengers – and note that any handles and wheels on your bags count toward size limits as well.

Category Navigation Box Enhancement : Table of Contents - Travel - Carry-on Luggage Sizes

Alaska Airlines

See all Alaska Airlines carry-on policies.

Allegiant Air

The fee is often around $20 if you pay for your carry-on baggage at the time of booking; it costs a hefty $45 if you add a carry-on bag later – and up to $75 at the gate.

See all Allegiant Air carry-on policies.

American Airlines

The above rules also apply to basic economy tickets.

See all American Airlines carry-on policies.

Delta Air Lines

Note that if you're flying to or from Beijing or Shanghai, there is a 22-pound weight limit for a carry-on; for Singapore, there is a 15-pound limit.

See all Delta Airlines carry-on policies.

Frontier Airlines

There are two instances where the carry-on bag fee is waived:

• You're an elite member of the  FRONTIER Miles rewards program .
• You bought a specialty ticket like the WORKS bundle.

Also note that carry-on bag fees, which typically start at around $30, depend on your destination, and that prices are cheapest if you add baggage when you make your booking. You'll pay more to add it later, especially if you do so at the airport. Sometimes it's actually cheaper to purchase a checked bag instead of a carry-on.

See all Frontier Airlines carry-on policies.

Hawaiian Airlines

See all Hawaiian Airlines carry-on policies.

If you booked a Blue Basic ticket, you're only permitted to bring a personal item that fits under the seat in front of you. If you bring a carry-on bag, you must pay $65 to check it at the gate (or up to $180 if you've already checked two other bags). This will change on Sept. 6, 2024, when JetBlue will begin offering one free carry-on bag to all Blue Basic customers, regardless of purchase date.

Currently, select customers with Blue Basic fares can bring carry-on bags for free. These include:

• Active U.S. military personnel
• Unaccompanied minors
• Customers flying to London

If you purchase a higher-class seat or if you reach Mosaic status on JetBlue's TrueBlue rewards program , you can also bring a carry-on bag for free on a Blue Basic ticket.

See all JetBlue carry-on policies.

Southwest Airlines

See all Southwest Airlines carry-on policies.

Spirit Airlines

Spirit's carry-on bag fees vary between flights, but they tend to start at around $25 to $30 for U.S. domestic flights. If you need to bring carry-on luggage, it's always cheapest to pay for it when you first book your flight. It will cost you more to add a bag afterward – and at least double the initial fee if you do it at the airport.

See all Spirit Airlines carry-on policies.

Sun Country Airlines

The Sun Country Airlines fee for a carry-on bag is around $30 if you pay for it when booking, or more if you add it later.

See all Sun Country carry-on policies.

United Airlines

There's one notable exception for carry-on baggage with United: Passengers with a basic economy ticket can only take one personal item on board – no carry-on bag. This policy applies to travelers flying basic economy domestically or between the U.S. and Canada. If you have a basic economy ticket and are going to Central or South America (including Mexico) or taking trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific flights, you can bring a full-size carry-on bag.

See all United Airlines carry-on policies.

Aer Lingus' carry-on policy depends on where you're flying. For trans-Atlantic flights, you can bring one carry-on bag within the dimensions above, plus a small personal item for free. If you're flying within Europe on Aer Lingus, the rules are a bit different: You'll have to pay a fee to bring a carry-on with you on board, starting at 5.99 euros. However, you can check that same bag for free.

If you're flying Aer Lingus Regional (a service with smaller planes, flying mostly around Ireland and the U.K.), a smaller carry-on limit applies: 18.5 x 13 x 8 inches, with a weight limit of 15 pounds.

See all Aer Lingus carry-on policies.

All Aeroméxico customers can bring a standard carry-on bag and a personal item on board. Be careful with the weight limit, though: For international flights or basic fare flights within Mexico, these two items combined cannot weigh more than 22 pounds. So, if your carry-on bag weighs 15 pounds, for example, your personal item cannot be more than 7 pounds.

See all Aeroméxico carry-on policies.

While there's no weight limit for carry-on luggage, Air Canada says your carry-on bag should be light enough that it can easily be lifted into the overhead bin. Also note that airport purchases (for example, larger duty-free items) count toward your baggage limit.

See all Air Canada carry-on policies.

Note that both your personal item and carry-on bag (referred to as "hand baggage") combined must not weigh more than 26 pounds if you're traveling economy. The weight limit is 40 pounds for premium economy and other higher-class cabins.

See all Air France carry-on policies.

All Nippon Airways

A variety of personal items (think a handbag and umbrella) are permitted as long as they fit under the seat in front of you; this includes any items purchased at the airport.

See all All Nippon Airways carry-on policies.

British Airways

If airline staff put a yellow tag on your bag, it should be stored under the seat in front of you.

See all British Airways carry-on policies.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific has shifted from a weight allowance to a piece allowance, and this policy varies by itinerary. Passengers are generally permitted to bring one carry-on bag plus a small personal item (and assistive devices like a walking stick), but it's best to check your booking carefully to confirm the exact allowance. You're asked to check in any baggage that's too heavy to lift into the overhead compartment.

See all Cathay Pacific carry-on policies.

Since easyJet is a budget airline, standard fares only allow customers to bring one personal item (called a "small cabin bag") aboard for free. Fees for standard carry-on bags are between 5.99 and 32.99 British pounds, depending on your destination and when you add an extra bag to your reservation.

See all easyJet carry-on policies.

The above rules apply to all economy passengers except those traveling from Brazil, whose carry-on luggage can weigh up to 22 pounds. Emirates only allows economy passengers to bring one item on board; whether you bring a carry-on bag for the overhead bin or a personal item to tuck under the seat, this bag must comply with the size limits.

See all Emirates carry-on policies.

Be aware that the 22-pound weight limit applies to both your personal item and carry-on combined. If your flight was booked through Iberia but is operated by Vueling, similar rules apply, but the size limits for your carry-on bags are slightly smaller.

See all Iberia carry-on policies.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

If you're traveling on the cheaper Light ticket, you may be asked to check your carry-on bag for no extra cost, if space is limited.

See all KLM Royal Dutch Airlines carry-on policies.

See all Lufthansa carry-on policies.

The above rules apply to LowFare+ customers. Passengers who fly LowFare (comparable to Basic Economy fare) can only bring a personal item (underseat bag) measuring 15 x 11.5 x 7.5 inches.

See all Norwegian carry-on policies.

Qantas 

Economy passengers can opt to bring a nonrigid garment bag measuring 45 x 24 x 4 inches (or 73 linear inches) instead of a standard 22 x 14 x 9-inch carry-on bag. The above rules apply to all economy tickets and vary for higher classes on international and domestic flights with Qantas.

See all Qantas carry-on luggage policies.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways allows passengers to bring multiple personal items provided they fit under the seat in front of you. Unlike with other airlines, laptops and laptop bags do not count as personal items and must fit within your main hand baggage allowance. For tickets issued in Brazil, the carry-on weight limit is 22 pounds.

Be careful: Qatar doesn't accept carry-ons longer than 20 inches, which is shorter than many other airlines.

See all Qatar Airways carry-on policies.

Ryanair is a low-cost carrier, so unless you pay extra, you can only bring one small bag that fits under the seat in front of you, per the personal item guidelines above. To bring a larger carry-on bag, travelers need to purchase Ryanair's Priority & 2 Cabin Bags option, which typically costs between 6 and 32 euros depending on your destination.

See all Ryanair carry-on policies.

360 Kiosk Email : Tips on Trips and Expert Picks

Scandinavian Airlines

Most (but not all) Scandinavian Airlines fares allow you to bring one traditional carry-on bag, plus a personal item, which SAS calls an "underseat bag." There's one exception: Passengers traveling within Europe on the Go Light fare must pay for a larger carry-on bag. If you booked a Go Light ticket for intercontinental flights, a carry-on bag is included.

See all Scandinavian Airlines carry-on policies.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines has an unusual method for measuring carry-on bags – the dimensions of the bag must not add up to more than 45 linear inches total. For example, a bag measuring 15 x 15 x 15 inches would be suitable. All passengers can bring one bag of this size, plus a smaller personal item. The personal item, whose dimensions are specified above, does not count toward the 15-pound carry-on limit.

See all Singapore Airlines carry-on policies.

Turkish Airlines

See all Turkish Airlines carry-on policies.

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic lets every passenger bring a carry-on bag, including children younger than age 2. You can bring a bag weighing no more than 13 pounds for your child, in addition to a collapsible stroller and/or car seat. Each passenger is also allowed to bring a handbag or small backpack, an umbrella, a walking stick and airport purchases. Take note: Laptops do not count as personal items on Virgin Atlantic and should fit into your main carry-on bag. There's no specific size limit on the other personal items, but bags or airport purchases should fit under the seat in front of you.

See all Virgin Atlantic carry-on policies.

Note that the above rules apply to passengers who book a TimeFlex or Premium Fare, as well as anyone traveling with a child under age 2 and/or requiring special assistance at the airport.

See all Vueling carry-on policies.

If you purchase an UltraBasic fare, you are limited to a personal item that fits under the seat in front of you.

See all WestJet carry-on policies.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Amanda Norcross is a seasoned traveler who packs just one carry-on bag and a personal item – even when adventuring with her toddler . She used her personal experience and research skills to put together this guide, and notes that even if your carry-on bag meets size restrictions, you may still need to check it at the gate because of limited space in the overhead bin. Luckily, it's still free.

You might also be interested in:

• The Best Carry-on Backpacks
• What Is Allowed in a Carry-on?
• What to Pack in a Carry-on Bag
• The Best Travel Insurance Companies

Copyright 2024 U.S. News & World Report