Southwest Airlines drops 2 big airports from its route map
There will be fewer ways to fly to Chicago and Washington, D.C., on Southwest Airlines this summer.
The Dallas-based carrier will end service to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington on June 4, Southwest announced on its website on Friday.
A Southwest spokesperson said both exits were part of the airline's "ongoing efforts to refine its network."
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The airline is in the midst of a major transformation aimed at boosting profitability that includes everything from seat assignments to bag fees and other revenue-generating initiatives. And CEO Bob Jordan has hinted at more changes to come, including first-class seats, exclusive airport lounges and maybe even long-haul intercontinental flights.
Southwest executives said in January that the airline plans to grow capacity, as measured by available seat miles, by only 1% or 2% year over year, in the first quarter. They did not release a full 2026 forecast.
A 5-year experiment at ORD
Southwest began flying to ORD in 2021 as part of an 18-city expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the growth did not live up to Southwest's expectations, and it exited four of the markets in 2024. Flights to ORD were cut dramatically, but the destination remained.
Jordan said in April 2024 that the flight cuts were financially driven.
"As we look at our network, it really relates to the areas that — just don't have a path to the level of financial performance that we need," he said. "That's really the basis for the decision."
Fast forward to 2026, and ORD is a battleground for American Airlines and United Airlines. The carriers are adding flights at a breakneck pace to preserve gate space under the airport's use-it-or-lose-it allocation policy. The additions have even forced the Federal Aviation Administration to step in and cap flights at ORD this summer to avoid disruptive congestion.
Southwest's exit has the potential to open up its three gates at ORD for American and United.
Faced with the competitive pressure at ORD and its own desire for high profits, Southwest has an easy option in Chicago: Midway International Airport (MDW). The airport is one of its largest bases and one where it dominates; schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows Southwest will operate more than 90% of the departures from MDW in 2026.
Southwest at IAD
Southwest's exit from IAD comes two decades after it first landed at the airport, Cirium schedules show. IAD initially served to balance the airline's presence in the D.C. region that was — and still is — centered on its large base at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).
Then, in 2012, following its merger with AirTran Airways, Southwest began flights to popular Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). IAD service stagnated after that, with only one route — to Denver International Airport (DEN) — consistent over the intervening 12 years, Cirium shows.
Today, Southwest maintains its large — and growing — base at BWI and is the second-largest carrier by seats at DCA after American Airlines.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority that operates IAD said they were "disappointed" the airline was ending service.
"We hope Southwest will return to Dulles in the future," the MWAA spokesperson added.
Options for travelers
Southwest is offering travelers scheduled to fly Southwest to either IAD or ORD after June 4 either free flight changes to nearby airports or full refunds.
Travelers booked to IAD can change their flights to BWI, DCA, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) or Richmond International Airport (RIC) in Virginia.
And those booked to ORD can change their flights to MDW, Indianapolis International Airport (IND) or Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE).
Updated with comment from MWAA.