Okay, it’s time to talk about Southwest Airlines and all these changes the airline has been making recently.

I’ve been a huge fan of Southwest for a long time. My home airport is Memphis, and Southwest is one of the few airlines with non-stop flights to Orlando (for visiting Disney World, of course). It’s also one of the few airlines that offers flights into Long Beach Airport, my preferred airport when I want to visit Disneyland. So the big news right now is about Southwest changing its seating policy by offering assigned seats for the first time in the airline’s history. But I’m still pretty ticked off about its previous change…and y’all know where I’m going with this, right?

So, as of right now, you can book assigned seats on Southwest flights. The airline has been known for its open seating policy, where you’re assigned a number that indicates the order that you board the flight — but you don’t know where you’re sitting until you pick a seat on the plane. That will change on January 27th, 2026, with assigned seating, and you can now book those assigned seats. And of course, there are options to pay extra for extra legroom or preferred seats (like every other airline).

Okay, so that’s bad enough, knowing that Southwest is now trying the same money grab with seating that every other airline is pretty much already doing. But I’m still not okay with the previous change the airline made: getting rid of free checked bags. Southwest started charging for checked bags in May, and it hasn’t been the same since.

Now, Southwest has a history of basing its entire marketing and advertising around “Bags Fly Free.” You’d see it on billboards, in advertisements, on the airline’s luggage carts at the airport, and everywhere else. It was the one thing Southwest was doing that set it apart from every other airline. But now, the airline has changed its tune and will start charging $35 each way for each checked bag.

So why am I so mad? Well, Southwest seemed to have done a complete 180 on something that it always prided itself on: offering free checked bags. The airline built a lot of its identity around  “Bags Fly Free,” and even when it started making changes (like the assigned seating), the public was assured that free bags would remain. So not only did Southwest betray its own brand, but it also betrayed its customers.

In betraying its own brand, Southwest took the one thing that separated it from other airlines and got rid of it. Now, Southwest is no different than any other airline, and it has no unique selling point (or USP for you marketing nerds). Southwest can no longer stand out over other airlines.

However, Southwest also garnered a lot of loyalty from customers for refusing to bend to the nickel and diming for premium seating and checked bags that other airlines gave into years ago. Southwest went out of its way to tell its customer that it was always on their side. Now, Southwest has betrayed its customers. That betrayal hurts because we always thought Southwest was the airline of the people, but it feels like that’s no longer the case.

Granted, there are ways to get around the new checked bag fees: you can book a more expensive premium fare that includes checked bags, use a Rapid Rewards credit card, or earn Elite status. Yep, two of those three options require spending more money with the airline.

So, thanks, but no thanks, Southwest. You will no longer be the airline I look at first when it comes to finding fares.

Don’t want to go through all of the stress of booking your Disney World trip alone? Reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations! Their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings, compare discounts and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. And, they share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation.

Stay tuned to DFB for more.

“Read the Room, Southwest.” The Internet ROASTS Southwest Airlines Over Its New Bag Policy