As long as your two pieces of checked luggage weigh less than 50 pounds and are 62 inches or less in diameter, Southwest Airlines won't charge you for checking your luggage. Your third through ninth bags cost $50 each to check, and anything in excess of nine checked bags will cost an additional $110 each to check. Bags weighing more than 50 pounds incur charges for being overweight, which is $50 per overweight bag. Oversized bags, that is, bags 63 to 80 inches in diameter, also cost an extra $50 to check. Items in your checked luggage must follow the rules for allowable and prohibited items as specified by the Transportation Security Administration.
Each Southwest passenger is permitted one carry-on item in addition to one personal item per flight. Carry-on items must not exceed 10 by 16 by 24 inches to fit into the overhead bins on Southwest flights. Personal items include your laptop, camera and/or handbag. Southwest Airlines allows passengers to bring food and beverage items aboard their flights, provided they were purchased inside the terminal. All liquids must be packaged per TSA instructions regarding the 3-1-1 rule for liquids.
Medical devices and baby and/or infant items are not considered carry-on luggage and may be brought aboard your Southwest flight at no additional cost to you. In addition to your carry-on luggage and personal item, Southwest allows passengers traveling with ticketed children to bring aboard a car seat, diaper bag and baby food and formula. Strollers are left at the gate and placed in the plane prior to departure and placed inside the gate for you to use immediately after you land.
