en.Wedoany.com Reported - Southwest Airlines plans to increase its average daily flights to 3,902 (including takeoffs and landings) in the third quarter of 2026 (July to September). According to Cirium data, the airline's capacity will increase by 0.3% compared to the same period in 2025, though this growth is built on a high base.

As a self-described hybrid carrier, Southwest Airlines plans to serve 120 airports in the third quarter of 2026, covering both domestic and international routes. Its network has expanded from 117 airports in the same period of 2025 to 120, primarily driven by the addition of five new destinations. Meanwhile, two airports will be removed from the airline's service list. Southwest Airlines now serves the following five airports.

Comparing the full route network of the third quarter of 2025 with the plan for July to September 2026, the above five new airports have been added to the route map. Four of them are domestic airports (including one destination in a U.S. territory in the Caribbean), and the other is an international airport. Since Southwest Airlines has already begun operating these routes, this article only summarizes the changes.

Starting February 5, 2026, Cyril E. King Airport (STT) was added, with destinations including Baltimore and Orlando, ranking 116th in the Southwest network.

Starting March 5, 2026, McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) was added, with destinations including Austin, Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, and Tampa, ranking 88th.

Starting April 7, 2026, Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS) was added, with destinations including Burbank, Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego, ranking 101st.

Starting April 7, 2026, Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) was added, with destinations including Baltimore and Orlando, ranking 115th.

Starting May 15, 2026, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) was added, with destinations including Denver and Las Vegas, ranking 109th.

* Other times may vary

Southwest Airlines' impact in Santa Rosa is significant. Located about 55 miles (89 kilometers) north of San Francisco, the addition of STS Airport has driven its capacity to a record high. In the third quarter of 2026, STS will offer 406,000 round-trip seats, 44% higher than the previous record set in the third quarter of 2024, despite Avelo Airlines exiting the market in August 2025.

Given that Southwest Airlines operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet and has up to five daily flights during the study period, the significant increase in available capacity is not surprising. However, this is not the only factor. Alaska Airlines' capacity also grew by 30%, driven by new flights to Ontario and Palm Springs, as well as major expansions in Burbank (BUR), Las Vegas (LAS), Portland International Airport (PDX), and San Diego International Airport (SAN).

Both Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines serve BUR, LAS, and SAN. Currently, the STS-BUR route has 54,000 round-trip seats, nearly 17,000 more than the previous record for this route. The challenge for both operators will be filling these seats at sufficiently reasonable fares. According to Department of Transportation (DOT) data, Avelo Airlines achieved only a 68% load factor when serving this market, and its seat count was far lower than that of these two airlines.

Southwest Airlines has ceased service to some airports. Comparing the third quarter of 2025 with the 2026 plan, Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) have been removed from the airline's route map. Southwest Airlines has consolidated its capacity at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), which are its most-served airports.

ORD and IAD last had Southwest Airlines service in June 2026. Southwest Airlines began operating flights at ORD in 2021, while IAD has been part of its network since 2006. Over the past 20 years, according to DOT data, Southwest Airlines has transported a total of 10.3 million passengers to and from IAD, with 78.1% of its seats filled, slightly below the airline's overall average.