Southwest has made changes to group deposits, reduction allowances and baggage fees.
Planners take note: Southwest Airlines is implementing some major shifts in its group travel policies. As reported by the travel management company AllFly, there are changes to group deposits, reduction allowances and baggage fees. This includes:
• Instead of a $50 per person deposit, the amount owed is now 25 percent of the total group airfare balance. Deposits are still non-refundable.
•Group sizes can be reduced by up to 20 percent without penalty. This can be done before or after paying the deposit—but it is only allowed once. If planners reduce the group size by more than 20 percent before paying the deposit, Southwest will cancel the entire booking. Rebooking will be at current fares, which may be higher. Similarly, the deposit will be forfeited if the group size is reduced more than 20 percent after payment, and a new booking will be required.
•There’s also a major shift from the former group baggage policy of two free checked bags per passenger coming down the pike. Starting January 27, 2026, there will be a $35 fee for the first checked bag and a $45 fee for the second checked bag.
To help manage these airfare changes without busting the budget, AllFly suggests that planners might start with slightly fewer seats than they anticipate needing. Adding seats later can be done without penalty, but dropping more than the allowed 20 percent can mean losing deposits and paying higher fares.
You May Also Be Interested In…
New Airline Rankings May Surprise You
