Southwest Airlines rolls out 8 new routes in schedule extension heavy on Texas
Austin, Texas, is the big winner in Southwest's latest expansion, landing six of eight new routes announced by the airline on Thursday.
The move is the latest boost for Austin, which has become one of the hottest aviation markets in the nation. A number of carriers have boosted their presence there during the past year, including American and Allegiant.
Southwest's expansion comes as rivals have looked to grow in Austin, where a booming economy and rapid population growth have made it an attractive market for new service. Southwest previously announced another new route from Austin in July and seven in March.
With the latest additions announced Thursday, Southwest will offer nonstop service from Austin to 46 destinations on up to 105 departures a day. Southwest was already the top carrier in Austin in June, accounting for about 35% of passenger traffic there, according to figures from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
Among Southwest's Austin additions are new routes to each coast – Charleston, South Carolina, in the East and Ontario, California, in the West – as well as new international service to the Mexican resort destination of Puerto Vallarta.
Elsewhere, Southwest will add two other new routes. One will connect Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Burbank, California, while the other will feature Saturday-only service between Denver and Cozumel, Mexico.
Additionally, Southwest said it will ramp up its schedule to Hawaii by restoring service or adding flights on several routes it had previously announced.
Doubling down: American is expanding – again – in Austin with 14 new routes
More broadly, the addition of new routes to Southwest's map comes as the airline moved to extend its booking schedule through April 24.
The new schedule presents an opportunity for bargain seekers, opening up a new batch of the carrier's cheapest "Wanna Get Away" advance-purchase fares on routes across its network – including for most spring break dates.
A search for March 17 flights from Baltimore (BWI) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), for example, showed one-way nonstop fares for as little as $168 or 11,859 Rapid Rewards points.
Earlier this year: Southwest unveils major summer expansion with a whopping 36 routes
Similarly, a one-way March 17 flight from Phoenix (PHX) to Honolulu (HNL) was pricing at $204 one-way (14,799 Rapid Rewards points).
Travelers who book with Rapid Rewards points can redeposit them with no penalty should plans change.
A complete list of Southwest's new routes is below.
Southwest's new routes from Austin (AUS)
- Amarillo, Texas (AMA): Daily service begins March 10.
- Charleston, South Carolina (CHS): Daily service begins March 10.
- Columbus, Ohio (CMH)*: Daily service begins March 10.
- Midland-Odessa, Texas (MAF): Daily service begins March 10.
- Ontario, California (ONT): Daily service begins March 10.
- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (PVR): Seasonal, Saturday-only service begins March 12.
Establishing a stronghold: Allegiant opening base in Austin, becomes latest to double down on Texas capital
* Southwest will fly nonstop between Austin and Columbus on certain peak-travel dates in 2021. Regular nonstop service begins March 10.
Southwest's other new routes
- Albuquerque, New Mexico (ABQ)-Burbank, California (BUR): Daily service begins Jan. 17.
- Denver (DEN)-Cozumel, Mexico (CZM): Saturday-only service begins March 12.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.