Southwest to Add Six Domestic Routes and One International Route in August

In extending its bookable flight schedule through November 4, Southwest Airlines has announced it is launching six new U.S. domestic routes and one new international route on August 7.

Five of Southwest’s new domestic routes include destinations in California.

On November 19, 2015, Southwest Airlines sent a Boeing 737-700 full of chronically ill children and their families to Disney World in Orlando during the annual Kidds Kids event

Most notable among them are new transcontinental services between Los Angeles International Airport and Pittsburgh; and between Sacramento and Baltimore/Washington International Airport.

On August 7, Southwest Airlines is also introducing services linking the Los Angeles-area airports of Burbank and Ontario with Portland in Oregon.

Its fifth new route from California will link San Diego with Milwaukee.

Southwest’s other two new routes from August 7 will link Nashville with Charlotte; and, internationally (subject to receiving the requisite foreign-government approval), Fort Lauderdale and Nassau in the Bahamas, a fairly short hop already served by JetBlue Airways and other carriers.

To promote the seven new routes, Southwest is offering introductory one-way fares for non-stop travel in each direction on each route.

All onboard Wi-Fi-enabled aircraft in the Southwest Airlines fleet began offering the Beats Music service on November 3, 2014

The carrier is offering introductory one-way fares from $139 on the Los Angeles-Pittsburgh route; Ontario-Portland one-ways from $69; and Burbank-Portland one-ways from $69.

Southwest is offering introductory one-way fares from $139 on the San Diego-Milwaukee route; and from $159 between Sacramento and Baltimore/Washington International.

Introductory one-way fares from $69 are available between Nashville and Charlotte; and from $58 between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau.

The introductory fares are available for purchase through February 25, by 11:59 p.m. in the respective time zone of the originating city.

These fares are valid for travel from August 7 through November 3, 2016, each day except Fridays and Sundays.

Southwest Airlines’ new livery includes a heart painted on the bottom of the aircraft’s fuselage

Travel blackout dates of September 1, September 2, September 3 and September 5 apply for the introductory fares.

Southwest has also announced it will extend to year-round operations its previously seasonal non-stop services between Houston Hobby Airport and both Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington State and Portland in Oregon.

Also to become year-round services are Southwest’s seasonal flights between Kansas City and Seattle; and between San Diego and St. Louis.

Earlier this week, Southwest confirmed its intent to participate in a U.S. Department of Transportation frequency allocation proceeding allowing U.S. airlines to operate scheduled services to Cuba.

The carrier continues to plan for 2016 year-over-year available seat mile capacity growth in the 5-to-6 per cent range.