For years, choosing between Southwest and American Airlines on an overlapping route was easy: check the base fares, add $35 per bag per direction to American's total, and Southwest almost always won on total cost. That math broke in 2025 when Southwest eliminated its signature two free checked bags policy, the feature that had defined the airline's value proposition for five decades. Now both carriers charge for checked luggage, and the comparison requires a more careful look at what you actually pay from departure to arrival.

This is not a close call on every dimension. American wins on some fronts clearly. Southwest wins on others. The right answer depends on your specific route, whether you check a bag, and how much flexibility you need.

Base Fare Comparison

On overlapping routes, Southwest and American compete directly in markets including Dallas, Chicago, Baltimore/Washington, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and most major domestic corridors. Base fare pricing is dynamic on both airlines, but some patterns hold consistently.

Southwest prices its "Wanna Get Away" fares competitively against American's non-refundable main cabin fares, and sometimes lower. On leisure-heavy routes like Chicago to Las Vegas or Dallas to Denver, Southwest regularly undercuts American's lowest available fare by $15 to $40 each way. On business-heavy corridors like New York to Chicago or Los Angeles to San Francisco, American tends to be more competitive because its schedule density and timing cater to business travelers who are less price-sensitive.

The base fare comparison, however, is just the starting point. Both airlines have added fees that change the effective total cost significantly depending on how you fly.

Bag Fees: The New Landscape After Southwest's Policy Change

Southwest's 2025 policy change eliminated free checked bags for most passengers. The new structure charges for bags based on fare type, similar to American's approach. Here is where things land for a typical round trip with one checked bag:

On American Airlines, a checked bag on a domestic route costs $35 each way (first bag), adding $70 round trip to the total. American AAdvantage credit card holders and certain elite tiers get the first bag free, which changes the math for frequent American flyers significantly.

Southwest now charges for checked bags on most fares as well, though the exact structure varies by fare tier. The "Wanna Get Away Plus" and higher fare tiers include a free checked bag. The entry-level "Wanna Get Away" fare, which is what most price-sensitive travelers book, now adds bag fees comparable to American's.

The practical result: if you are comparing entry-level fares on both carriers and checking one bag, the total cost gap has narrowed dramatically. Southwest's historical $70 round-trip bag fee advantage is largely gone for passengers booking the cheapest available fare on either airline.

Where Southwest still has an advantage: if you tend to book Wanna Get Away Plus or higher, or if Southwest is simply cheaper on the base fare on your specific route, the math can still favor Southwest even with bag fees in the picture. Use Farefinda to see all-in totals across both carriers before booking.

No Change Fees: Southwest Still Wins

American Airlines eliminated change fees on most non-Basic Economy domestic fares after 2020, which was a meaningful improvement. But Southwest's no-change-fee policy is still more flexible in practice. Here is the distinction:

American's Basic Economy fares, which are often the cheapest fares listed, do not allow changes. If you book Basic Economy and need to change, you lose the ticket value. American's main cabin and above do allow changes without a fee, but you typically need to pay any fare difference, and the new ticket must be booked at the current fare, which is often higher than what you originally paid.

Southwest allows you to cancel any fare and receive the full value as a Southwest travel credit, with no expiration on that credit if you hold certain Southwest credit cards. You can also change a Southwest ticket and pay only the fare difference if the new fare is higher, or receive credit for the difference if it is lower. This flexibility has real monetary value, particularly for travelers whose plans sometimes shift.

The verdict on flexibility: Southwest is still meaningfully more flexible, and that flexibility is worth something to travelers who do not always know their final plans at booking time.

On-Time Reliability

The DOT Air Travel Consumer Report shows that Southwest's on-time performance has recovered and is now competitive with American's, though both airlines sit in the middle of the industry, not at the top. Delta consistently leads; Southwest and American are typically within a few percentage points of each other.

Southwest's 2022 operational meltdown, where the airline cancelled more than 15,000 flights over the holiday period, exposed structural problems in its crew scheduling system that the company has since invested heavily to fix. By 2024 and 2025, Southwest's cancellation rate had returned to industry-normal levels.

American's reliability varies significantly by hub. Flights through Chicago O'Hare are subject to the weather delays that affect all ORD operations. American's Dallas Fort Worth hub generally performs well. American's on-time completion rate for domestic flights runs around 78 to 82 percent depending on season, comparable to Southwest's post-restructuring numbers.

Neither airline is the clear winner on reliability. If reliability is your primary concern, Delta is the better choice over both.

Route Networks: Where Each Airline Is Strongest

Southwest and American have fundamentally different network structures, and understanding this changes which airline is even relevant for your trip.

Southwest operates a point-to-point network that serves secondary cities and leisure destinations that the major hubs often ignore or serve only through connections. Southwest flies from Baltimore, not just Washington Dulles or Reagan. It serves Midway, not just O'Hare. It connects secondary markets like Providence, Manchester, Long Island MacArthur, and Oakland directly to major destinations without routing through a hub. If your origin or destination is a Southwest-served secondary airport, Southwest is often the only option for a direct flight.

American operates a traditional hub-and-spoke model with major hubs at Dallas Fort Worth, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Chicago O'Hare, Miami, and Phoenix. American's network is unmatched for international connections, particularly to Latin America through Miami, to Europe through Philadelphia and New York JFK, and to Asia through Los Angeles. If your trip involves an international leg, American's connectivity through its hub network is a structural advantage Southwest cannot match.

For purely domestic travel, the right airline is often determined by which one offers a direct flight from your specific airport. Many smaller markets are served by one or the other, not both.

Loyalty Programs: Rapid Rewards vs AAdvantage

Southwest's Rapid Rewards program earns points based on dollars spent rather than miles flown, which benefits shorter-haul leisure travelers who buy frequently. Points do not expire as long as you have account activity within 24 months, and redemptions are straightforward: points buy flights at a fixed rate relative to the cash fare, with no blackout dates and no award availability restrictions. You can redeem on any available Southwest seat.

AAdvantage earns miles based on distance flown and fare class, and redemptions work through an award chart. The program has value for international premium cabin redemptions, where American Airlines award rates on partner airlines can deliver outsized value for transatlantic or transpacific business class. For domestic economy redemptions, AAdvantage is less compelling than it once was following devaluations to the award chart.

The Rapid Rewards Companion Pass, earned by accumulating 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year, is one of the most valuable benefits in US airline loyalty. It allows a designated companion to fly free (paying only taxes) on every Southwest flight you take for the remainder of the calendar year and the following full year. No other major US airline offers a comparable benefit.

For travelers who primarily fly domestically and on leisure routes, Rapid Rewards is the better program. For those who mix domestic and international travel and fly in premium cabins internationally, AAdvantage's partner redemption options can deliver more value.

Which Should You Book on Specific Route Types

The answer depends on what kind of traveler you are:

Book Southwest when: your route is Southwest-only for a direct flight; you are flying with a checked bag and Southwest's Wanna Get Away Plus fare is competitive; your plans might change and you value the no-fee flexibility; you are working toward the Companion Pass; or Southwest is simply cheaper all-in on your specific route.

Book American when: you need an international connection; American's AAdvantage card gives you a free checked bag that offsets the fee; American has a lower all-in fare on your specific route; you need a route or destination that Southwest does not serve; or you are flying from a city where American's hub connectivity opens options Southwest cannot match.

The Verdict

Southwest without free bags is a meaningfully different value proposition than Southwest with free bags. The automatic cost advantage is gone. But Southwest still wins on flexibility, and on routes where it prices lower or offers a direct flight where American does not, it remains the better choice.

American is the better airline for international travel, for travelers whose AAdvantage status or credit card eliminates bag fees, and for markets where American's hub network gives it schedule superiority.

The honest answer for most travelers: check the all-in total on both airlines for your specific route and date, including bags. The right answer changes by route. Compare Southwest and American fares on Farefinda to see both carriers side by side with full fee transparency before you book.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Southwest still worth booking after ending free bags?

Yes, for the right traveler. Southwest's no-change-fee policy still has real value, and on many leisure routes it prices below American even with bag fees factored in. The key is to compare all-in costs rather than base fares alone. For travelers who never check bags, Southwest's flexibility and pricing can still be the better deal on overlapping routes.

How do Southwest and American bag fees compare now?

Both airlines now charge for checked bags on entry-level fares, putting them in a similar position. American charges $35 per bag each way for most domestic routes on main cabin fares. Southwest's new bag fee structure is comparable on Wanna Get Away fares, though higher fare tiers on Southwest include a free bag. American AAdvantage credit cardholders get the first bag free, which is a meaningful advantage for frequent American flyers.

Which airline has better on-time performance?

Both Southwest and American run similar on-time completion rates in the 78 to 82 percent range for domestic operations, with seasonal variation. Neither is the industry leader; Delta holds that position consistently. Southwest's operational recovery since its 2022 meltdown has been genuine, and the two airlines are now comparable on reliability for most domestic routes.

Can I still change a Southwest ticket for free?

Yes. Southwest's no-change-fee policy remains in place. You can cancel any Southwest fare and receive full travel credit, or change to a different flight and pay only the fare difference. This is more flexible than American's Basic Economy fares, which do not allow changes, and broadly comparable to American's main cabin change policy, with the key difference being Southwest's credit does not expire in the same restrictive way.

Which loyalty program is better: Rapid Rewards or AAdvantage?

Rapid Rewards is better for domestic leisure travelers, particularly because of the Companion Pass benefit and the simplicity of point redemptions with no blackout dates. AAdvantage offers more value for travelers who mix domestic and international itineraries and can access partner airline award space for premium cabin international travel. Neither is clearly superior for every traveler type.