If any portion of your itinerary contains an international flight, you must check baggage at the ticket counter. Baggage for international flights will not be accepted if presented less than 60 minutes prior to original scheduled departure. For flights departing Aruba (AUA), baggage will not be accepted if presented less than 75 minutes prior to original scheduled departure. You can’t voluntarily separate from luggage on international flights.

Seasonal baggage embargoes may apply.

If your itinerary for travel into the United States includes a connection, you must claim all checked luggage from baggage claim, regardless of final destination, upon arrival in the U.S. After clearing Customs, if you aren’t originating from a preclear city (see below), you will be required to re-check all checked luggage with a Customer Service Agent before proceeding to your connecting flight(s). In some U.S. airports, there will be baggage drop off stations available post-Customs. Others will require passengers to return to the ticket counter to re-check luggage prior to continuing to connecting flights. Please be on the lookout for directional signage and/or Southwest^® Employees after clearing Customs upon arrival in the U.S. 

Preclear Cities

The only pre-cleared locations where Southwest^® currently flies are Aruba (AUA) and Nassau (NAS), which means that U.S. Customs is located in these two countries. If you are traveling to the U.S. from a pre-cleared location, you will check in for your U.S. inbound flight, go through exit Customs, and immediately go through U.S. Customs in the same airport. Once you arrive in the U.S., your flight will be considered a domestic arrival and you can proceed directly to your connecting flight without having to go through U.S. Customs or re-check luggage. 

Baggage liability

Liability limits for loss, delay, or damage to checked baggage on international itineraries is limited to a number of Special Drawing Rights (SDR). For more information, see our Contract of Carriage.

Partner Itineraries

Traveling on an itinerary involving a partner airline? Review important details.