Southwest Airlines doesn’t offer red-eye flights, but that could soon change.
That’s because CEO Bob Jordan, in an interview with The Dallas Morning News, called the overnight flights a “logical evolution” for the airline.
“We have the aircraft, it’s a great way to take an asset that you already have and use it more productively, which means more hours in the day,” he said. “So we’re going to do red-eyes.”
While the idea is likely on the horizon, that doesn’t mean Southwest customers should expect late-night flights anytime soon. Jordan told the paper the concept of red-eyes would work in “certain markets” and “there is a world” where the airline would operate them, but it was something Southwest had yet to figure out.
A Southwest representative did not respond to Travel + Leisure’s request for comment on the possibility of red-eye flights.
Overnight flights are a popular choice for jumping multiple time zones, especially when travelling from the West Coast to the East Coast or to Europe. It allows travellers to fall asleep on the plane and wake up in a new city in the morning.
But while it’s convenient, it can also lead to jet lag. To combat this, travellers can try to adjust their sleep schedule before their flight, book a red-eye flight that most closely matches their normal sleeping habits, choose a seat that allows them to relax (we’re looking at you, window seats), and pack all the gear they need to chill out.
The red-eye concept comes as Southwest is in the process of upgrading its in-flight experience and making it easier for customers to earn status in 2024. For a limited time, Southwest has also made it easier to earn the popular Companion Pass by offering double Companion Pass qualifying points to registered travellers who fly through November 30.