Southwest Airlines has announced the return of several popular domestic routes, connecting travelers to warm-weather destinations early next year. The airline is set to launch these seasonal routes in January, coinciding with the peak winter travel period. The new services will operate with varying frequencies over several weeks before concluding in early March.
Seasonal Route Details
1. Providence (PVD) to Palm Beach (PBI): Up to 4x weekly
2. Columbus (CMH) to Miami (MIA): Up to 6x weekly
3. Pittsburgh (PIT) to Miami (MIA): Up to 6x weekly
4. Chicago (MDW) to Palm Springs (PSP): Up to 4x weekly
“We continue to optimize our schedule for today’s customer—listening to their preferences and responding accordingly,” a Southwest spokesperson said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. “Southwest is happy to connect these traditionally colder locales with sunny skies and sand during the wintertime.”
Travelers can book these flights directly on Southwest’s website, where the full schedule for each new service is available. To accommodate travel demand after the holidays, the airline noted that these seasonal routes are likely to be offered on popular travel days, such as Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, rather than on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Southwest will be the sole airline to operate the route between Chicago-Midway and Palm Springs. However, American Airlines and United Airlines provide nonstop service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to the Sonoran Desert. Other carriers, including JetBlue and American Airlines, already operate the other new seasonal routes listed.
Conclusion
Southwest’s policy allowing travelers to bring two free checked bags remains a significant differentiator from other airlines. This announcement of new flights comes shortly after Southwest revealed an overhaul of its open-boarding policy. Although it is not yet confirmed when assigned seating will take effect, this marks a significant shift after 50 years of open seating.