AirTran Starts New International Services for Summer Schedule

Southwest Airlines subsidiary AirTran Airways is launching new international service within the next 10 days from San Antonio, Austin, Orange County in California and Chicago Midway, as well as new service between Fort Lauderdale Hollywood and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

AirTran Airways first announced the new routes last winter. The carrier’s first May 24 international departure out of San Antonio International Airport marks AirTran’s first international destination and flight from the airport.

Southwest Airlines subsidiary AirTran Airways eventually is to be merged into the larger Southwest operation and its distinctive livery will vanish unless Southwest decides to keep some AirTran jets as theme-painted aircraft to remember their heritage

The international service also brings AirTran service to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and John Wayne Orange County Airport for the first time. Customers can book travel on the new routes at www.airtran.com.

From May 24, AirTran will operate four weekly non-stop flights between San Antonio (SAT) and Cancun International Airport (CUN) with service on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. From September 1 through the end of the current schedule on November 2, the carrier will operate three weekly non-stop flights on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Also beginning May 24, AirTran will operate one daily non-stop flight between San Antonio and Mexico City’s Benito Juárez Internacional Airport (MEX).

On the same day, AirTran is also launching service between Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, (SJU) with two daily non-stop flights.

When Southwest Airlines took over AirTran Airways, it also took over AirTran's outstanding orders for 65 Boeing 737-700s. However, AirTran continued in operation with 52 already-delivered Boeing 737-700s and 88 Boeing 717s. The Boeing 717s are all due to be subleased to Delta Air Lines by 2015

Starting on May 25, AirTran will launch its inaugural service from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), with four weekly non-stop flights between Austin and Cancun on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays through August 31. From September 1 through November 2, the carrier will operate the service three times a week, on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Beginning June 3, AirTran will operate one daily non-stop flight between John Wayne Airport in Orange County (SNA) and Mexico City and one daily nonstop flight between Orange County and Los Cabos International Airport (SJD), which serves the Baja California resort destinations of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo .

Also on June 3, AirTran will begin operating one daily non-stop flight between Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) and Cancun.

Members of the Rapid Rewards (Southwest Airlines) and A+ Rewards (AirTran Airways) frequent-flyer programs are now able to transfer their loyalty rewards between the two programs to redeem for reward travel to 97 destinations, including Mexico and the Caribbean.