Southwest Airlines Adds New Perk After Canceling Free Bags -- But Not for All Travelers

Starting next month, select Southwest Airlines customers will be able to access the airlines' latest free perk.

For decades, Southwest built its reputation as a popular budget airline not just on cheaper flight prices but also its policy of "bags fly free." But starting back on May 28, that policy was eliminated, with many loyal customers still objecting to the change.

Southwest seems to be trying to curry favor with its most frequent flyers with its newest in-flight amenity: free WiFi.

On Friday, the company announced a partnership with T-Mobile, offering free WiFi on all flights, starting Oct. 24, 2025. The catch is you must be a member of the airline's Rapid Rewards loyalty program to access the benefit.

“We are focused on making sure our Customers have a great experience from the time they book a flight to the time they reach their destination,” said Tony Roach, Southwest's chief customer and brand officer. “We’re pleased to partner with T-Mobile to bring free WiFi to all Rapid Rewards Members. This is part of our ongoing commitment to elevate the cabin experience, with free WiFi being just one of the many enhancements Customers will see in the months ahead."

Southwest joins its competitors with WiFi announcement

With over 800 planes in rotation, Southwest is now the largest airline to offer free WiFi to travelers. As Gizmodo notes, JetBlue already offers free WiFi on all flights, with Delta providing complimentary internet access for SkyMiles members on “most” of its flights.

United and American Airlines are also in the process of implementing free WiFi programs. Previously, Southwest charged passengers $8 for WiFi service.

"All Southwest Rapid Rewards Customers, regardless of their wireless provider, will be able to access free WiFi for the duration of their flight," said this morning's press release.

Southwest's previous changes have been unpopular

While free WiFi might not seem like a major gift to customers, today's news will surely go over better than Southwest's elimination of "bags fly free" and its unassigned seating arrangement.

Now, passengers can check their first bag for $35 and second for $45. For the time being, the unassigned seating policy remains in effect, but will be discontinued on Jan. 27, 2026.

Additionally, Southwest is also experimenting with ending its point-to-point flight model and going with a hybrid approach that combines point-to-point travel with the traditional hub-and-spoke system other airlines' use.