Southwest Launches 24 New Routes, Including Service to Caribbean, Mexico, and Costa Rica

Loyal fans of Southwest Airlines have received exciting news as the airline recently announced an expanded flight schedule. Last week, the low-cost carrier revealed two dozen new routes—six of which head to international locations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, along with six returning routes for next year.

With these additions, Southwest's flight schedule will reach an impressive 4,526 departures in 2024, marking the highest number in the airline's history across its network of 121 airports in 11 countries.

Notable highlights of the new schedule include multiple flights departing from Burbank airport in Southern California (the primary carrier serving Burbank, increasingly popular among Eastside Angelenos wishing to avoid LAX) and routes to sought-after outdoor destinations like Bozeman, Montana, a gateway to Yellowstone National Park, and Fresno, California, a key access point for Yosemite National Park.

The new international flights will operate out of Orlando International Airport in Florida, with one new route to Mexico (Cancun), one to Costa Rica, and four to Caribbean destinations (specifically the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos). These international services are pending government approvals.

Reservations are now open for all flights listed below. While this does not apply to the new routes, Southwest is currently running a holiday fare sale for bookings made by November 2. This promotion on travel is valid from November 23, 2023, to May 22, 2024 (sadly concluding before the new routes commence)—covering many holiday travel dates (surprising, right?). The only blackout dates for flights within the continental U.S. are December 26 and 27, 2023, and January 2, 2024, with John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, seeing blackout dates from November 23, 2023, to January 2, 2024 (not every battle can be won). There are additional restrictions for flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Hawai‘i.

Here’s what you need to know about Southwest’s expanded flight schedule for 2024.

Beginning in June 2024, Southwest will introduce these new daily nonstop flights:

• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) to Colorado Springs Airport (COS)
• Hollywood Burbank Airport in California (BUR) to Boise Airport in Idaho (BOI)
• Burbank to Kansas City International Airport in Missouri (MCI)
• Burbank to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
• Burbank to San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
• Burbank to St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
• Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to El Paso International Airport (ELP)
• Eugene Airport in Oregon (EUG) to Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
• Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Cancun International Airport (CUN)
• Orlando to Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (GCM)
• Orlando to Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas (NAS)
• Orlando to Providenciales International Airport in Turks and Caicos (PLS)
• Orlando to Punta Cana International Airport in Dominican Republic (PUJ)
• Orlando to Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica (SJO)

In June 2024, Southwest will also launch weekend service on these new routes:

• Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL) to Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)
• Dallas to Fresno Yosemite International Airport in California (FAT)
• Dallas to Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in Providence (PVD)
• Dallas to Spokane International Airport in Washington (GEG)
• Denver International Airport (DEN) to Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport in South Carolina (GSP)
• Kansas City to John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio (CMH)
• Nashville International Airport (BNA) to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZM)
• Nashville to Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan (GRR)
• San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Columbus
• San Diego to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)

Additionally, Southwest will be reintroducing daily service on these six routes in June 2024:

• Albany International Airport in New York (ALB) to Denver (DEN)
• Nashville (BNA) to Ontario International Airport in California (ONT)
• Nashville to Sacramento (SMF)
• Burbank (BUR) to Chicago Midway (MDW)
• Denver to Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut (BDL)
• Chicago Midway to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

This expansion is part of Southwest's strategy to attract more loyal customers. Earlier this month, the airline announced enhancements to its Rapid Rewards loyalty program, which simplify the process of earning A-List and A-List Preferred elite status, and allows Rapid Rewards members to book flights using a mix of cash and points.