Southwest Airlines Launches 48-Hour Flash Sale—Up to 50% Off Summer Flights

Southwest Airlines is about to undergo its most dramatic makeover in decades, and millions of travelers will feel the shift as early as Wednesday, May 28, 2025. From the end of its signature “two-bags-fly-free” policy to the debut of a stripped-down Basic fare and a first-in-industry power-bank rule, every stage of the customer journey is changing—check-in to touchdown. Below is everything passengers, credit-card holders and loyalty members need to know, plus expert tips to keep costs low and points rolling in. Key takeaways at a glance • Free checked bags are disappearing for many itineraries. • A new Basic fare introduces seat-selection limits and same-day change fees. • Rapid Rewards® credit-card holders get carve-outs, including bag-fee waivers. • Starting May 28, portable chargers must remain visible at all times in-flight. • Book by May 27 to lock in the old rules; flight credits remain transferrable. Why Southwest is breaking with its own playbook Southwest Airlines built an empire on budget-friendly transparency—no change fees, no bag fees, open seating—but rising fuel costs and competitive pressure triggered a revenue-revamp plan first unveiled to investors in March. Executives project the new pricing architecture will lift annual revenue by $1.5 billion without sacrificing market share, a target analysts say is critical as ultra-low-cost rivals encroach on legacy hubs. End of “bags fly free”—here’s the fine print • Checked-bag fees: Beginning May 28, Southwest will charge $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second on Basic and Wanna Get Away fares for domestic flights under 1,000 miles; longer routes will see tiered rates up to $50. • Exemptions: Passengers holding Rapid Rewards® Priority or Premier cards, plus up to eight companions on the same record locator, still receive two free checked bags—provided the ticket was purchased with the linked card. • Oversize and overweight rules remain unchanged, but enforcement will intensify at self-tag kiosks. What the new Basic fare really buys Southwest’s Basic product undercuts Wanna Get Away by roughly 10 % in most markets yet comes with trade-offs that mirror competitors’ basic-economy offerings. Expect: • Boarding group F automatically assigned; no EarlyBird Check-In eligibility. • Same-day confirmed changes: $99 flat fee (previously free plus fare difference). • No transferable flight credits; cancelations yield a non-refundable credit tied to the traveler. • Standard carry-on allowance stays intact—one personal item and one roller onboard. New safety rule: keep your power bank in sight In a move that aviation-safety advocates predict other carriers will copy, Southwest will require passengers to keep portable battery packs “visible and unplugged” whenever not actively charging a device starting May 28. Lithium-ion fires onboard U.S. aircraft rose 42 % last year, prompting the policy. Flight attendants are authorized to confiscate non-compliant batteries until landing. How to dodge the fees—book now, fly later Travelers can lock in the legacy perks by purchasing tickets before 11:59 p.m. CT on May 27, even for trips through April 2026. Two free checked bags and fee-free same-day standby will apply as long as no voluntary changes are made after the cutoff. If you must rebook later, aim for price drops within the same fare bucket to preserve benefits. Impact on Rapid Rewards loyalists • Companion Pass math changes: Basic bookings earn 5 points per dollar instead of 6, slowing progress to the coveted 135,000-point threshold. • Tier-qualifying flights still count, easing status maintenance for A-List and A-List Preferred elites. • Credit-card welcome bonuses remain unaffected, but annual card fees will rise $10–$20 starting August 1. Bottom line Southwest Airlines is betting that incremental fees, paired with a headline-grabbing lower Basic fare, will pad its balance sheet without alienating core fans. For travelers, the smartest play is to secure summer and holiday tickets before the May 27 deadline, pack strategically and keep that power bank where the cabin crew can see it.