As of November 2023, Southwest Airlines has scheduled flights to over 100 destinations[1] in 42 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, the newest being Syracuse, New York on November 14, 2021. The airline has 15 focus cities and operates over 4,000 flights each day.[2]

Destinations

Plane pictured as it passes over Downtown [[San Jose]] and [[Highway 87]].
Southwest B737 on final approach to San Jose International Airport.

Southwest does not use the "hub and spoke" system of other major airlines, preferring instead the "point-to-point" system with focus cities.[3] It has large operations in certain airports. An average of 80 percent of Southwest passengers are local passengers—only 20 percent are connecting passengers, a lower percentage than on most major airlines, where many passengers connect in hub cities. However, at Southwest's focus cities, the percentage of connecting passengers can reach 30 percent.[4] As part of its effort to control costs, Southwest historically used secondary airports in cities where the primary airports have high costs, such as Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Miami. In recent years however, the airline has been expanding into primary airports as well.[5]

In most cities where Southwest uses both a primary and secondary airport, the secondary airport is used more than the primary for flights (such as Oakland instead of San Francisco), with some exceptions such as the Los Angeles metro area, where Los Angeles International is a Southwest base and secondary airports (such as Burbank, Long Beach, Santa Ana and Ontario) have limited Southwest operations despite having a higher market share at the smaller airports. Until 2006, Southwest did not fly into Denver,[6] which is now its most popular destination.

Unlike most other U.S. airlines, Southwest does not fly outside North America, and it does not fly to Canada due to its payment system not being set up for Canadian dollars (however, Southwest does market Bellingham to cater to Canadian passengers in the Vancouver and Southern BC area as a low cost alternative to Vancouver International Airport).[7]

International service

Southwest began planning international service when it acquired AirTran Airways, which already served international destinations. Southwest's first approach to international service came on April 19, 2012, when it signed a contract with the Amadeus IT Group to launch an international reservation system. This agreement gave the airline the capability to begin flying to destinations outside of the United States.[8]

Southwest debuted the international reservation system on January 27, 2014, when its first international flights went on sale. This was followed by the first international flights which began on July 1, 2014, to Aruba (AUA), Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ) and Nassau, Bahamas (NAS).

Southwest built a 5-gate international terminal at William P. Hobby Airport that opened in 2015. Southwest also built a 5-gate international terminal in Fort Lauderdale that opened in 2017.[9] In 2021, a 5-gate extension of terminal A at Baltimore/Washington International Airport opened. Southwest is the sole occupant of Terminal A and it invested significantly in the creation of the extension.[10]

Busiest airports

As of January 03, 2024, there are 20 airports at which Southwest Airlines has over 80 daily departures.[11]

Rank City Airport Number of Flights Number of Cities Served Number of Gates
1DenverDenver International Airport3229633
2Las VegasHarry Reid International Airport2696821
3ChicagoMidway International Airport2597937
4BaltimoreBaltimore/Washington International Airport2337326
5DallasDallas Love Field2087918
6PhoenixSky Harbor International Airport2035832
7OrlandoOrlando International Airport1836120
8HoustonWilliam P. Hobby Airport1777020
9NashvilleNashville International Airport1656216
10St. LouisSt. Louis Lambert International Airport1336217
11AtlantaHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport1234318
12TampaTampa International Airport1224515
13AustinAustin-Bergstrom International Airport121518
14OaklandOakland International Airport1133411
15San DiegoSan Diego International Airport113326
16SacramentoSacramento International Airport982711
17San JoseNorman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport972718
18Fort LauderdaleFort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport92409
19Los AngelesLos Angeles International Airport892713
20Kansas CityKansas City International Airport834115

Current destinations

As of October 2023, Southwest Airlines flies to 121 destinations.

Country City Airport Notes Refs
ArubaOranjestadQueen Beatrix International Airport
BahamasNassauLynden Pindling International Airport
BelizeBelize CityPhilip S. W. Goldson International Airport
Cayman IslandsGeorge TownOwen Roberts International Airport
Costa RicaLiberiaDaniel Oduber Quirós International Airport
San JoséJuan Santamaría International Airport
CubaHavanaJosé Martí International Airport
Dominican RepublicPunta CanaPunta Cana International Airport
JamaicaMontego BaySangster International Airport
MexicoCancúnCancún International Airport
CozumelCozumel International Airport
Puerto VallartaLic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport
San José del CaboLos Cabos International Airport
Turks and Caicos IslandsProvidencialesProvidenciales International Airport
United States (Alabama)BirminghamBirmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport
United States (Arizona)PhoenixPhoenix Sky Harbor International AirportFocus city
TucsonTucson International Airport
United States (Arkansas)Little RockLittle Rock National Airport
United States (California)BurbankHollywood Burbank Airport
FresnoFresno Yosemite International Airport
Long BeachLong Beach Airport
Los AngelesLos Angeles International AirportFocus city
OaklandOakland International AirportFocus city
OntarioOntario International Airport
Orange County/Santa AnaJohn Wayne Airport
Palm SpringsPalm Springs International Airport
SacramentoSacramento International Airport
San DiegoSan Diego International Airport
San FranciscoSan Francisco International Airport
San JoséSan Jose International Airport
Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara Municipal Airport
United States (Colorado)DenverDenver International AirportFocus city
Steamboat SpringsYampa Valley Regional Airport
Telluride (Montrose)Montrose Regional Airport
Colorado SpringsColorado Springs Airport
United States (Connecticut)HartfordBradley International Airport
United States (Florida)DestinDestin-Fort Walton Beach Airport
Fort LauderdaleFort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport
Fort MyersSouthwest Florida International Airport
JacksonvilleJacksonville International Airport
OrlandoOrlando International AirportFocus city
Palm BeachPalm Beach International Airport
Panama CityNorthwest Florida Beaches International Airport
PensacolaPensacola International Airport
MiamiMiami International Airport
SarasotaSarasota–Bradenton International Airport
TampaTampa International Airport
United States (Georgia)AtlantaHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International AirportFocus city
SavannahSavannah/Hilton Head International Airport
United States (Hawaii)HonoluluDaniel K. Inouye International Airport
KahuluiKahului Airport
Kailua–KonaKona International Airport
HiloHilo International Airport
LihueLihue Airport
United States (Idaho)BoiseBoise Airport
United States (Illinois)ChicagoMidway International AirportFocus city
O'Hare International Airport
United States (Indiana)IndianapolisIndianapolis International Airport
United States (Iowa)Des MoinesDes Moines International Airport
United States (Kansas)WichitaWichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport
United States (Kentucky) Cincinnati/Covington Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
LouisvilleLouisville International Airport
United States (Louisiana)New OrleansLouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
United States (Maine)PortlandPortland International Jetport
United States (Maryland)BaltimoreBaltimore/Washington International AirportFocus city
United States (Massachusetts)BostonLogan International Airport
United States (Michigan)DetroitDetroit Metropolitan Airport
Grand RapidsGerald R. Ford International Airport
United States (Minnesota)Minneapolis/Saint PaulMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
United States (Mississippi)JacksonJackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport
United States (Missouri)Kansas CityKansas City International Airport
St. LouisSt. Louis Lambert International Airport
United States (Montana)BozemanBozeman Yellowstone International Airport
United States (Nebraska)OmahaEppley Airfield
United States (Nevada)Las VegasHarry Reid International AirportFocus city
Reno/TahoeReno-Tahoe International Airport
United States (New Hampshire)ManchesterManchester–Boston Regional Airport
United States (New Mexico)AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque International Sunport
United States (New York)AlbanyAlbany International Airport
BuffaloBuffalo Niagara International Airport
Long Island/IslipLong Island MacArthur Airport
New York CityLaGuardia Airport
RochesterGreater Rochester International Airport
SyracuseSyracuse Hancock International Airport
United States (North Carolina)CharlotteCharlotte Douglas International Airport
Raleigh/DurhamRaleigh–Durham International Airport
United States (Ohio) ClevelandCleveland Hopkins International Airport
ColumbusJohn Glenn Columbus International Airport
United States (Oklahoma)Oklahoma CityWill Rogers World Airport
TulsaTulsa International Airport
United States (Oregon) EugeneEugene Airport
PortlandPortland International Airport
United States (Pennsylvania)PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia International Airport
PittsburghPittsburgh International Airport
United States (Puerto Rico)San JuanLuis Muñoz Marín International Airport
United States (Rhode Island)ProvidenceRhode Island T. F. Green International Airport
United States (South Carolina)CharlestonCharleston International Airport
Greenville/SpartanburgGreenville–Spartanburg International Airport
Myrtle BeachMyrtle Beach International Airport
United States (Tennessee)MemphisMemphis International Airport
NashvilleNashville International AirportFocus city
United States (Texas)AmarilloRick Husband Amarillo International Airport
AustinAustin–Bergstrom International Airport
Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi International Airport
DallasDallas Love FieldFocus cityHeadquartered in Dallas
El PasoEl Paso International Airport
Harlingen/South Padre IslandValley International Airport
HoustonGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport
William P. Hobby AirportFocus city
LubbockLubbock Preston Smith International Airport
Midland/OdessaMidland International Airport
San AntonioSan Antonio International Airport
United States (Utah)Salt Lake CitySalt Lake City International Airport
United States (Virginia)NorfolkNorfolk International Airport
RichmondRichmond International Airport
Washington, D.C.Dulles International Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
United States (Washington) BellinghamBellingham International Airport
Seattle/TacomaSeattle–Tacoma International Airport
SpokaneSpokane International Airport
United States (Wisconsin)MilwaukeeMilwaukee Mitchell International Airport

Terminated destinations

Country (State/Province) City Airport Begin End Refs
CubaSanta ClaraAbel Santamaría Airport20162017[12]
CubaVaraderoJuan Gualberto Gómez Airport20162017[12]
MexicoMexico CityMexico City International Airport2012 (AirTran)2019[13]
United States (Colorado)DenverStapleton International Airport19831995 [lower-alpha 1][14]
United States (Florida)Key WestKey West International Airport20122014[15]
United States (Michigan)DetroitColeman A. Young International Airport19881993[14]
United States (Michigan)FlintBishop International Airport20132018[16]
United States (Missouri)BransonBranson Airport20132014[15]
United States (New Jersey)NewarkNewark Liberty International Airport20112019[17]
United States (Ohio)Akron/CantonAkron-Canton Regional Airport2012 (AirTran)2017[18]
United States (Ohio)DaytonDayton International Airport2012 (AirTran)2017[18]
United States (Texas)AustinRobert Mueller Municipal Airport19771999[lower-alpha 1][19]
United States (Texas)Beaumont/Port ArthurJack Brooks Regional Airport19791980[14]
United States (Wyoming)Jackson HoleJackson Hole Airport19851986

Notes:

  1. 1 2 Operations ended when airport closed

References

  1. "Southwest Airlines - Route Map". www.southwest.com.
  2. "Southwest Corporate Fact Sheet - Corporate Fact Sheet - Southwest Airlines Newsroom". swamedia.com. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  3. "Southwest route map". FlightConnections.com. June 2, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  4. Jeremy Sickler. "Chapter 7: Flight Arrival Flow: Southwest vs. Legacy Carriers". Archived from the original on May 19, 2004. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  5. "Southwest Airlines comes to Chicago O'Hare, Houston Intercontinental, won't abandon Midway, Hobby". USA Today. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  6. "Southwest Airlines begins service in Denver, announces additional flights and destinations". Southwest Airlines. Investor relations. January 3, 2006. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  7. Pallini, Thomas. "Southwest Airlines Reveals Why It Doesn't Fly to Canada". Businessinsider.com. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  8. "Southwest Airlines Newsroom: Releases". Swamedia.com. April 19, 2012. Archived from the original on December 17, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  9. "Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport overhauls terminal to add international travel". Sun Sentinel.
  10. Wood, Pamela (May 17, 2021). "BWI's newest concourse opens with spacious restrooms, five additional gates, extra charging outlets". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  11. "City Fact Sheets".
  12. 1 2 Mutzabaugh, Ben (June 29, 2017). "Southwest drops two routes to Cuba; Havana flights to stay". USA Today.
  13. "Southwest Airlines Reports Fourth Quarter And Annual Profit; 46th Consecutive Year Of Profitability - Southwest Airlines Newsroom". swamedia.com. January 24, 2019.
  14. 1 2 3 "Openings/Closings - By Category - Southwest Airlines Newsroom". swamedia.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
  15. 1 2 "Southwest Airlines To Cease Operations In Three Cities - Southwest Airlines Newsroom". swamedia.com. December 5, 2013.
  16. "Southwest Airlines pulls plug on flights from Flint". November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  17. "Southwest Reports Record Second Quarter Revenues And Earnings Per Share". Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  18. 1 2 Southwest Airlines to leave Akron-Canton; plans new flights to Atlanta, St. Louis from Cleveland Hopkins (Cleveland.com)
  19. Robert Mueller Municipal Airport
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