Southwest Airlines Announces Big Change Before Fall Travel
Late last month Southwest Airlines instituted its new bag policy that was previously announced in March.
"For reservations booked and ticketed or changed on or after May 28, 2025, checked baggage fees will apply. We will offer two free checked bags to our Rapid Rewards A-List Preferred Members and Business Select Customers, and one free checked bag to A-List Members and other select Customers. Southwest will credit the first checked bag for Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers," the airline said in a statement at the time.
Just a few days before the start of its new bag policy, Southwest revealed the first checked bag will cost $35 while a second bag will cost $45. While travelers were outraged with the change, they might cut Southwest some slack with the airline's latest announcement ahead of football season.
Southwest Airlines announced it added 59 flights for 19 college football games this fall. The airline also announced six additional flights are scheduled to depart to Columbus, OH, from Dallas, Austin and Houston on Aug. 29 and eight will return to those cities Aug. 31, before a rematch of January's national semifinal game between Texas and Ohio State.
"OKC Will Rogers International Airport will be connected to four routes not traditionally served with flights to and from Eugene, OR (Oklahoma State at Oregon on Sept. 6), Detroit (Michigan at Oklahoma on Sept. 6), Atlanta (Auburn at Oklahoma on Sept. 20), and Birmingham, AL (Oklahoma at Alabama on Nov. 15)," a statement from the airline read.
It's not just the major brands that will be getting in on the action, though, as the airline plans to connect Jackson, MS, and Las Vegas for the first time for the HBCU Classic featuring Grambling and Jackson State on Oct. 25.
College football fans aren't the only ones that can take advantage of the new routes, though. Southwest also announced 54 additional flights for 24 key matchups in the NFL this fall as well with seven routes not currently served nonstop that are out for sale on select weekends: Buffalo-Atlanta, Buffalo-Charlotte, Kansas City-Jacksonville, Kansas City-Buffalo, Milwaukee-Cleveland, New Orleans-Buffalo, and Oakland-New Orleans.
The full announcement and schedule can be found here.Southwest Airlines Announces Big Change Before Fall Travel first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 13, 2025
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