Southwest is a widely known airline for budget-friendly travelers offering big seats, simple rules, and tons of nonstop flights. However, no matter how many benefits the airline has to offer, as of late May 2025, it has officially taken away its "free checked bag" perk and is joining many other airlines in charging a fee. Thankfully, Southwest is now offering something that may be even better than a bag that flies for free, depending on how you like to travel. It's called Getaways, and per Southwest,
the carrier will give you two free checked bags and book your entire trip, which includes flights, hotels, and rental cars, through one convenient platform.
When you book through Southwest Getaways, you can still take advantage of the airline's signature flexibility and perks, like no change fees and streamlined flight management, while unlocking exclusive package deals. This means that even though the free checked bag policy is gone for most travelers, you may find that bundling your trip through Getaways offers both convenience and savings that outweigh the cost of checked baggage. Getaways is designed to make travel planning simpler, more predictable, and potentially more cost-effective, all while treating you to Southwest's famous hospitality.
Read more: The 5 Best Airlines That Fly To Hawaii, According To Reviews
What You Get With Getaways And What Travelers Think
When you book with Getaways, you won't feel the need to find an airport check-in hack that could turn long lines into a breezy start to your trip because your vacation should already begin stress-free. The platform bundles flights, hotels, and rental cars into a single booking, removing the usual hassle of coordinating multiple reservations. Aside from the intended peace of mind, you get two free checked bags per customer, can make changes and cancellations to your travel plans up to 10 minutes before departure, and even earn rewards points. Additionally, Southwest curates Getaways deals to include hotels and services that meet quality standards, often at prices lower than booking separately.
While all of this sounds promising, we would be remiss to not mention that many Redditors on a thread about Southwest's former "Vacations" packages have not had a good experience. Many say they had to pay more and had to hassle with the customer service team, while others say they didn't have a problem at all and continue to book through Southwest. So, it might be a catch-22 and worth looking into, as it is intended to maximize both value and ease, though it may not be entirely free of hiccups.
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