Southwest Airlines Adds and Restores 23 Routes in Second Half of 2026

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Southwest Airlines has announced its new route plan for the second half of 2026, adding and restoring 23 routes between July and December, including 21 domestic routes and two international routes. Flight schedule analysis shows that 14 of the 23 new routes (61%) will directly compete with other airlines, including half of the routes departing from the rapidly growing Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).

The analysis compares scheduled plans from January 2025 to June 2026 with those from July 2026 to March 2027 (the airline's booking engine is open through March 10), with data as of June 30. Southwest Airlines will directly compete with Allegiant Air on the Knoxville route and with Delta Air Lines on the Memphis route.

Only 7 of the 23 routes were previously operated by Southwest Airlines, including: AUS to Destin-Fort Walton Beach (2021-2023), AUS to Memphis (2015-2016), BNA to Manchester (1998-2006), Long Beach to Portland (2023-2024), Orlando to San Jose (California; 2018-2020), Providence to Sarasota (2023), and Rochester to FLL (2020). The airline will evaluate past performance, observe market changes and existing opportunities, and consider aircraft availability and other potential factors.

The BNA to Manchester, New Hampshire route, spanning 815 nautical miles (1,509 kilometers), has not been served nonstop by Southwest Airlines for 20 years and will resume on October 1 with up to one daily flight. This route previously had two daily flights, and BNA has since developed into a major connecting hub. According to U.S. Department of Transportation data, in the 12 months ending March 2026, 14,900 round-trip passengers traveled via connections in this market, though this figure does not include passengers driving to Boston for nonstop flights. Southwest Airlines already holds a 71% share in the BNA-Manchester market and offers more connection opportunities through BNA. Three entirely new markets have never had nonstop service, including: AUS to Santa Rosa, BNA to Reno, and LAS to San Jose (Costa Rica). The BNA to Reno market is substantial, with 45,100 round-trip passengers traveling via connections in the past 12 months, of which Southwest Airlines carried 28,000 (62%), mostly via DEN, LAS, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). This market is BNA's second-largest unserved market in the contiguous 48 U.S. states, trailing only Boise (45,700 passengers).