Southwest Airlines announces second airline partner, 3 more international gateways

Southwest Airlines is closing in on its second partnership with an international airline.

Southwest on Monday said it is currently "in discussions" to launch an interline agreement next year with China Airlines, based in Taiwan.

As part of the agreement, Southwest customers would eventually be able to book China Airlines-operated flights to Taipei through its website and mobile app. Eventually, it's possible that Rapid Rewards members would be able to redeem points on transpacific flights to Taiwan.

The news of the potential Southwest-China Airlines tie-up came nearly four months after Southwest launched its first international partnership, with Icelandair.

Today, customers can use Icelandair's website or third-party tools like Expedia to book Southwest-Icelandair itineraries to Reykjavik (and even on to Europe). Expect that partnership to expand in the not-too-distant future, including with reservations available via Southwest's booking channels and Rapid Rewards redemptions.

It's safe to bet that Southwest has similar hopes for a future China Airlines tie-up, which would offer the airline its first link, of sorts, over the Pacific Ocean.

"This initial work to partner with Taiwan-based China Airlines would allow for seamless trans-Pacific journeys across the Southwest network, furthering the reach of our Vision and Purpose—to connect People with important moments in their lives," Southwest Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson said in a statement Monday.

Read more: Southwest CEO floats first class, lounges and long-haul flights: 'We're going to follow the consumer'

Expanding its global reach

Last fall, when Southwest announced sweeping changes to its business model, the airline revealed it hoped to add multiple international airline partners, in hopes of offering Rapid Rewards members more redemption options.

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Today, the airline operates domestic flights and short-haul international flights to places like Mexico and the Caribbean. Linking up with Icelandair and China Airlines expands the Southwest "map," so to speak.

China Airlines, for its part, flies from Taipei to five U.S. airports:

• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Southern California
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

The carrier flies between Taiwan and the U.S. with increasingly stiff competition, due to growing networks from Taiwan-based competitors Starlux Airlines and EVA Air.

Executives from the two airlines met this week to hash out the details of the new partnership at the International Air Transport Association's General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in India, a major annual industry gathering.

Southwest executives had told TPG in January they hoped to reveal a second international partner before the end of 2025 — a plan that seemed to come true Monday.

Southwest adds 3 new international gateways

One other bit of news Monday: Southwest said it plans to expand its Icelandair partnership to three new U.S. airports next month.

Starting July 14, customers will be able to book Southwest-Icelandair connections through:

• Orlando International Airport (MCO)
• Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
• Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)

That's in addition to the three gateways the two airlines launched earlier this year: Denver International Airport (DEN), Nashville International Airport (BNA) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

Again, it's a limited tie-up for now, with no Rapid Rewards earnings or redemptions available. For now, you also can't book any Icelandair flights through Southwest's own website — only through Icelandair's channels or Expedia, Booking.com and the like.

But Southwest has said it hopes to expand the partnership and booking options to its own channels in the near future — around the same time it puts assigned seats on sale for the first time, which is expected to happen sometime between July and September.

Related reading:

• Your complete guide to maximizing Southwest Rapid Rewards
• The best Southwest Airlines credit cards
• How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass
• Southwest A-List status: What it is and how to earn it
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• How to change or cancel a Southwest Airlines flight