WN · RULES AS PUBLISHED, WITH DATES
Southwest Airlines carry-on and checked bag rules
What Southwest Airlines publishes for a cabin bag, a personal item and a checked bag, read from the airline's own pages. Each rule below carries the date it was last checked, and anything the airline does not state is shown as a gap rather than filled in.
Size and weight limits
Measurements are shown in the units the airline publishes. Where the airline counts handles and wheels, that is spelled out, because it is the difference between a bag that passes the sizer and one that does not.
| Item | Maximum size | Maximum weight | What the airline adds | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carry-on | 61 × 40.6 × 25.4 cm (24 × 16 × 10 in) | no weight limit published | 24 x 16 x 10 inches. Wheels, handles and any attachments count toward these dimensions. Goes in the overhead bin. One carry-on plus one personal item per passenger; a pet carrier counts as one of the two. | source 2026-10-07 |
| Personal item | no numeric size limit published | no weight limit published | The airline lists examples instead of a number: purse (including crossbody bags), briefcase, laptop case, backpack, pillow, blanket, small camera. No numeric size limit is published; it must go under the seat in front of you. | source 2026-10-07 |
Checked bag fees
Prices depend on the fare you booked, the route and whether you pay online or at the airport, so the fare context stays attached to every figure.
| Fare context | First bag | Second bag | Weight per bag | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not verified yet. This airline's fee amounts are not published on a page we could read, so no figure is shown rather than an estimate. | ||||
If your bag does not fit
- Measure the bag, not the case. Include wheels, handles and anything strapped on.
- Compare against the smallest limit that applies to you. A bag that fits the overhead bin can still be too big for the space under the seat in front.
- Decide before the airport. A bag bought for the hold is cheapest online, and a bag refused at the gate is the most expensive version of the same bag.
Check your bag against Southwest Airlines and every other airline we cover, or see what a checked bag costs across airlines.
What this page does not claim
- It is not the airline's rulebook. If Southwest Airlines's own page disagrees with anything here, the airline is right and this page is out of date.
- It does not cover every fare family, route or loyalty tier Southwest Airlines sells.
- It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any airline. The name is used only to identify whose published rules are being described.
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