Southwest Airlines grows route map again, will add Miami and Palm Springs
Southwest Airlines will add two more popular sun destinations to its route map this winter as it looks to give leisure travelers more options during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Dallas-based carrier will add Miami (MIA) and Palm Springs (PSP) to its route map by year-end, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly told staff in a video message to staff on Thursday. The destinations will join Steamboat Springs, Colorado (HDN), among new additions in 2020.
The markets come as Southwest and other carriers look to add flights to places where travelers are going amid the risk of COVID-19. These are largely outdoor-oriented destinations, including beaches or mountains, each of which are big enticements in Miami and Palm Springs.
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"Adding these specific airports to our route map will bring us access to additional revenue at a critical time," Kelly told staff. "It matches our available fleet with demand for very popular destinations."
Kelly has previously said that Southwest will likely be at least a quarter smaller at the end of the year than it was at the end of 2019. This comes as the recovery in air travel amid the pandemic has stalled with flyer numbers hovering at down around 70% year-over-year, according to Airlines for America (A4A) data.
The trade group is pushing for additional federal payroll aid to airlines but warns that traveler numbers are unlikely to recover to 2019 levels until at least 2024.
Related: US airlines ‘fighting for survival’ with no hope of V-shaped recovery, A4A says
Miami and Palm Springs are interesting additions to Southwest's map. The former is a high-cost fortress hub for American Airlines that is better known as the gateway to South America than a low-fare airport. Fort Lauderdale (FLL), where Southwest is already one of the dominant airlines, is South Florida's primary budget airport.
However, the move is less surprising considering how U.S. airlines have push into non-traditional markets during the pandemic. For example, United Airlines is adding 17 routes to Florida that bypass its hubs and JetBlue Airways has added 30 new routes — many in markets where it was a tertiary player pre-pandemic — in an effort to capture more leisure flyers.
Palm Springs is the only large Southern California airport unserved by Southwest. And earlier this week, the airline picked up 17 former JetBlue Airways slots at Long Beach (LGB) airport, further fortifying its strength in the region.
Southwest plans to unveil its "initial flight schedule and service profile" for Miami and Palm Springs soon. It intends to begin year-round flights to both by the end of the year.
Related: Southwest Airlines unveils new Steamboat Springs routes
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees