Southwest now charging for bags; how you can avoid fees and save on summer travel

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The end of the era, no more free checked bags. Southwest is now charging for checked bags.

The airline now charges $35 for a first checked bag and $45 for a second checked bag.

"All airlines are going to be on the same playing field, which means that you're paying for baggage no matter how you fly. So basically, it's going to come down to you picking the airline carrier that works best for you. Do you want a direct flight? I always recommend a direct flight. The best schedule, the best fare?" suggests Christy Lyczkowski, travel advisor with Pirates and Pixie Dust Destinations.

Lyczkowski says, despite all airlines charging for checked bags, there are still ways to avoid baggage fees and get free travel perks.

"Every airline has a co-branded credit card, which means that you're going to get perks with that. So you're going to accumulate miles, which you can use later. You may get priority boarding. You may get 'bags fly for free.' Some even have a companion pass. If you fly a certain amount of times, then you're going to have someone that gets to travel with you for a year for free," she added.

Lyczkowski says people pumped the brakes on booking travel when news broke of the tariffs, but she says that just prompted summer sales on popular destinations in Orlando like Disney World, along with all-inclusive resorts and cruises.

When it comes to flights, according to NerdWallet, US airfares are down 8% compared to this time last year.

"Gas prices are also down. So I'm hoping that airfare is going to trend down just a little bit more, which is great because this is a busy season. So to see a dip right now means that maybe this fall we're actually going to see better pricing."

When it comes down to getting the best price on flights or travel, Lyczkowski says research is key, and if you don't want to take the time and do that research yourself, a travel advisor can help you.

"I'm able to look at airfare from many different airlines all at once. I'm able to definitely price shop for my clients," she said. "I also am able to bundle air and vacation packages, such as hotels and park tickets. Sometimes that's going to shave off some pricing and save my clients some money."

Now that you are paying for different fees when it comes to travel, if your bags get to you late or the WiFi that you pay a fee for is slow, you could be entitled to your money back. Reach out to the airlines or hotel right away and file a complaint to try and get your money back if you didn't get what you paid for.