Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

List of Southwest Airlines destinations

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. However, service to the city ended in 2024. The airline has 15 focus cities and operates over 4,000 flights each day.[2]

Countries served by Southwest as of October 2024

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 the early 21st century, 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.[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 3, 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
1 Denver Denver International Airport 322 96 40
2 Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport 269 68 21
3 Chicago Midway International Airport 259 79 37
4 Baltimore Baltimore/Washington International Airport 233 73 26
5 Dallas Dallas Love Field 208 79 18
6 Phoenix Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 203 58 32
7 Orlando Orlando International Airport 183 61 20
8 Houston William P. Hobby Airport 177 70 20
9 Nashville Nashville International Airport 165 62 16
10 St. Louis St. Louis Lambert International Airport 133 62 17
11 Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport 123 43 18
12 Tampa Tampa International Airport 122 45 15
13 Austin Austin–Bergstrom International Airport 121 51 8
14 Oakland San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport 113 34 11
15 San Diego San Diego International Airport 113 32 6
16 Sacramento Sacramento International Airport 98 27 11
17 San Jose Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport 97 27 18
18 Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport 92 40 9
19 Los Angeles Los Angeles International Airport 89 27 13
20 Kansas City Kansas City International Airport 83 41 15

Current destinations

As of September 2024, Southwest Airlines flies to 117 destinations.

Country City Airport Notes Refs
Aruba Oranjestad Queen Beatrix International Airport
Bahamas Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport
Belize Belize City Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport
Cayman Islands George Town Owen Roberts International Airport
Costa Rica Liberia Guanacaste Airport
San José Juan Santamaría International Airport
Cuba Havana José Martí International Airport
Dominican Republic Punta Cana Punta Cana International Airport
Jamaica Montego Bay Sangster International Airport
Mexico Cancún Cancún International Airport
Puerto Vallarta Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport
San José del Cabo Los Cabos International Airport
Turks and Caicos Islands Providenciales Providenciales International Airport
United States (Alabama) Birmingham Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport
United States (Arizona) Phoenix Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Base
Tucson Tucson International Airport
United States (Arkansas) Little Rock Clinton National Airport
United States (California) Burbank Hollywood Burbank Airport
Fresno Fresno Yosemite International Airport
Long Beach Long Beach Airport
Los Angeles Los Angeles International Airport Base
Oakland San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport Base
Ontario Ontario International Airport
Orange County/Santa Ana John Wayne Airport
Palm Springs Palm Springs International Airport
Sacramento Sacramento International Airport
San Diego San Diego International Airport
San Francisco San Francisco International Airport
San José San Jose International Airport
Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
United States (Colorado) Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Airport
Denver Denver International Airport Base
Hayden/Steamboat Springs Yampa Valley Regional Airport
Montrose Montrose Regional Airport
United States (Connecticut) Hartford Bradley International Airport
United States (Florida) Destin/Fort Walton Beach Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport
Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport
Fort Myers Southwest Florida International Airport
Jacksonville Jacksonville International Airport
Orlando Orlando International Airport Base
West Palm Beach Palm Beach International Airport
Panama City Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport
Pensacola Pensacola International Airport
Miami Miami International Airport
Sarasota Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport
Tampa Tampa International Airport
United States (Georgia) Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport Base
Savannah Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport
United States (Hawaii) Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
Kahului Kahului Airport
Kailua–Kona Kona International Airport
Hilo Hilo International Airport
Lihue Lihue Airport
United States (Idaho) Boise Boise Airport
United States (Illinois) Chicago Midway International Airport Base
O'Hare International Airport
United States (Indiana) Indianapolis Indianapolis International Airport
United States (Iowa) Des Moines Des Moines International Airport
United States (Kansas) Wichita Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport
United States (Kentucky) Cincinnati/Covington Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Louisville Louisville International Airport
United States (Louisiana) New Orleans Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
United States (Maine) Portland Portland International Jetport
United States (Maryland) Baltimore Baltimore/Washington International Airport Base
United States (Massachusetts) Boston Logan International Airport
United States (Michigan) Detroit Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport
United States (Minnesota) Minneapolis/Saint Paul Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
United States (Mississippi) Jackson Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport
United States (Missouri) Kansas City Kansas City International Airport
St. Louis St. Louis Lambert International Airport
United States (Montana) Bozeman Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport
United States (Nebraska) Omaha Eppley Airfield
United States (Nevada) Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport Base
Reno/Tahoe Reno–Tahoe International Airport
United States (New Hampshire) Manchester Manchester–Boston Regional Airport
United States (New Mexico) Albuquerque Albuquerque International Sunport
United States (New York) Albany Albany International Airport
Buffalo Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Long Island/Islip Long Island MacArthur Airport
New York City LaGuardia Airport
Rochester Greater Rochester International Airport
United States (North Carolina) Charlotte Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Raleigh/Durham Raleigh–Durham International Airport
United States (Ohio) Cleveland Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Columbus John Glenn Columbus International Airport
United States (Oklahoma) Oklahoma City Will Rogers World Airport
Tulsa Tulsa International Airport
United States (Oregon) Eugene Eugene Airport
Portland Portland International Airport
United States (Pennsylvania) Philadelphia Philadelphia International Airport
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh International Airport
United States (Puerto Rico) San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
United States (Rhode Island) Providence Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport
United States (South Carolina) Charleston Charleston International Airport
Greenville/Spartanburg Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach International Airport
United States (Tennessee) Memphis Memphis International Airport
Nashville Nashville International Airport Base
United States (Texas) Amarillo Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport
Austin Austin–Bergstrom International Airport
Corpus Christi Corpus Christi International Airport
Dallas Dallas Love Field Base
Headquarters
El Paso El Paso International Airport
Harlingen/South Padre Island Valley International Airport
Houston William P. Hobby Airport Base
Lubbock Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport
Midland/Odessa Midland International Airport
San Antonio San Antonio International Airport
United States (Utah) Salt Lake City Salt Lake City International Airport
United States (Virginia) Norfolk Norfolk International Airport
Richmond Richmond International Airport
Washington, D.C. area Dulles International Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
United States (Washington) Seattle/Tacoma Seattle–Tacoma International Airport
Spokane Spokane International Airport
United States (Wisconsin) Milwaukee Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport

Terminated destinations

Country (State/Province) City Airport Begin End Refs
Cuba Santa Clara Abel Santamaría Airport 2016 2017 [12]
Varadero Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport 2016 2017 [12]
Mexico Mexico City Mexico City International Airport 2012 (AirTran) 2019 [13]
Cozumel Cozumel International Airport 2019 2024 [14]
United States (Colorado) Denver Stapleton International Airport 1983 1995[a] [15][16]
United States (Florida) Key West Key West International Airport 2012 2014 [17]
United States (Michigan) Detroit Coleman A. Young International Airport 1988 1993 [15]
Flint Bishop International Airport 2013 2018 [18]
United States (Missouri) Branson Branson Airport 2013 2014 [17]
United States (New Jersey) Newark Newark Liberty International Airport 2011 2019 [19]
United States (New York) Syracuse Syracuse Hancock International Airport 2021 2024 [14]
United States (Ohio) Akron/Canton Akron–Canton Airport 2012 (AirTran) 2017 [20]
Dayton Dayton International Airport 2012 (AirTran) 2017 [20]
United States (Texas) Austin Robert Mueller Municipal Airport 1977 1999[a] [21][circular reference]
Beaumont/Port Arthur Jack Brooks Regional Airport 1979 1980 [15]
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport 2021 2024 [14]
United States (Washington) Bellingham Bellingham International Airport 2021 2024 [14]
United States (Wyoming) Jackson Hole Jackson Hole Airport 1985 1986 [citation needed]

Notes:

  1. ^ a b 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. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013.
  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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c d Isidore, Chris (April 25, 2024). "Southwest to stop service to 4 airports in wake of rising losses and more Boeing delivery problems | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c "Openings/Closings - By Category - Southwest Airlines Newsroom". swamedia.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
  16. ^ Southwest Airlines (February 8, 2022). "When Did We Arrive?". swamedia.com. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Southwest Airlines To Cease Operations In Three Cities - Southwest Airlines Newsroom". swamedia.com. December 5, 2013.
  18. ^ "Southwest Airlines pulls plug on flights from Flint". November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  19. ^ "Southwest Reports Record Second Quarter Revenues And Earnings Per Share". Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  20. ^ a b Southwest Airlines to leave Akron-Canton; plans new flights to Atlanta, St. Louis from Cleveland Hopkins (Cleveland.com)
  21. ^ Robert Mueller Municipal Airport