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Southwest Airlines adds 2 new routes, extends schedule to November

Zach Griff
Zach Griff
Senior reporter
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.
Feb. 06, 2025
•
3 min read
Southwest Boeing 737 LGA LaGuardia
Southwest Airlines adds 2 new routes, extends schedule to November
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Southwest Airlines is giving flyers a few new options as it extends its schedule through Nov. 1.

The Dallas-based carrier announced Thursday that it was adding two new routes as part of its schedule extension. The new routes are San Diego to Fresno, California, and Austin to Jacksonville, Florida.

Both of the new routes take off Oct. 2. Flights between San Diego and Fresno will operate on a daily basis, while the new Austin flight will operate every day of the week except for Saturday.

Airline insider: A behind-the-scenes look at Southwest's Dallas headquarters

In addition to the new routes, Southwest will increase service between San Diego and Tampa starting Oct. 2. Right now, the flight is operated once weekly on Saturdays, but starting in the fall, it'll be operated daily from Thursday to Monday.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

This may not be Southwest's splashiest schedule extension, but it does contain some exciting updates in two commercially important markets.

In Austin, Southwest is currently the largest carrier (by a long shot). The airline says that October will be its busiest month ever from Austin, when it plans up to 128 peak-day flights. (Delta Air Lines, on the other hand, is the second-largest carrier in Austin and plans about 60 daily flights from Austin in October, according to Cirium schedules.)

Service from Austin to Jacksonville is timed to start just a few months after Delta enters the market in May. Delta was originally poised to enjoy a monopoly on this route, but Southwest seemingly doesn't want to give up any ground to its rival in Austin.

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Meanwhile, the new San Diego route comes as the airport plans to open the first phase of the new Terminal 1 in late summer.

Alaska Airlines, which operates a hub in San Diego, already flies from the city to Fresno, so Southwest's new flight will break that monopoly.

That's great news for flyers who will enjoy more nonstop service (and hopefully lower fares) than without the competition.

All of Southwest's new and expanded flights, as well as its entire schedule, are now available for booking through Nov. 1.

Related reading:

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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 $6,000 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.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.