Arizona Flights Cost More as Southwest Changes Its Bag and Seating Rules
28 October 2026
Arizona air travelers are facing a more expensive and more segmented airline market, with fare bundles, baggage fees, and seat-selection rules varying sharply by carrier and booking class. Southwest Airlines made the most dramatic change, eliminating its long-vaunted "Bags Fly Free" policy in 2025. The carrier also ended its open-seating model in favor of assigned seating.
Southwest began charging for checked bags on flights purchased on or after May 28, 2025. Passengers booking the airline's lower fare classes now pay $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second, according to a report on October 17, 2025.
Fliers buying the lowest-fare Basic tickets—rebranded in 2025 from Wanna Get Away—get no checked bags for free. Basic fares do include a carry-on under Southwest’s new structure, but checked luggage will cost extra.
Higher fare classes on Southwest, renamed to Choice (formerly Wanna Get Away Plus), Choice Preferred (Anytime), and Choice Extra (Business Select), do include free checked bags. The top-tier Choice Extra passengers get two checked bags free, while Choice and Choice Preferred passengers get one free checked bag.
The fare changes were not the only change to Southwest’s traveler rewards. Southwest’s 2025 Rapid Rewards changes reduced points on the lowest fares and increased points on the highest fare class.
Southwest’s move to assigned seating, planned for early 2026, will introduce a premium seat selection at a higher fare. Similar fees and choices are appearing throughout the U.S. airline market. Major carriers like Delta Airlines charge $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second, though every airline has different baggage policies.
More on this is available via www.globigames.com.
Airfares have also risen sharply in 2026. Jet fuel prices, a key driver of airline costs, have driven headlines with rising prices. In addition, Southwest cited fuel costs as a reason for the airline’s fare moves in 2025, including ending unlimited free checked bags.
Fliers planning trips to Arizona can still find low fares, though the total cost of travel has changed. KAYAK lists the lowest round-trip deal to Arizona in the last 5 days at $58, a far lower sticker price than Southwest’s Phoenix prices with a checked bag, even before adding other costs. But KAYAK cautions that baggage allowances vary from airline to airline, as do add-on services at the lowest fares.
Breeze Airways offers some of the lowest Phoenix fares at $44 round-trip, with bag fees an additional cost. British Airways advertises some Phoenix fares with checked-bag options, while some European carriers have steep add-on fees for bags on flights to the United States. But as a rule, U.S. travelers to Arizona may see first checked-bag fees between $20 to $80-plus per bag, depending on the airline and purchase timing. Even low-cost U.S. carriers may charge $39 to $90 extra for a carry-on bag, a front-of-plane select seat, or a similar premium add-on.
Arizona travelers flying from U.S. airports can see fares similar to $38 one-way from American Southwest routes, though airport and baggage costs can alter the bottom line. The average fare to Arizona was $370 last week, according to KAYAK.
While U.S. jet fuel prices rose to $3 per gallon and airlines fought revenue losses, such price moves are one reason for the unsettled airline experience in 2026. Southwest’s recent changes altered its flying experience for customers, with Southwest passengers booking flights after May 2025 seeing fee and seating changes. Options for customers no longer include unlimited free checked bags or open seating. A ticket’s real price tags at the airport depends on language in terms and conditions confirming baggage allowances, seat preferences, and other extras.