travel
The $99 Southwest Card That Outsmarts Its New Rules
Southwest’s overhaul is complete: assigned seats since January 27, 2026, no more universal free bags since May 2025, and bag fees now at $45 for the first and $55 for the second after the April 2026 hike. EarlyBird Check-In is dead for post-January flights. The old quirks that made the airline feel like a hack are gone.
