Southwest is Launching Nonstop Service Between Newark and Puerto Rico
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers here - Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Earlier this year, the FAA announced it was easing slot restrictions at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), opening the door to additional options for travelers. For a market typically dominated by United Airlines, the opportunity for low-cost carriers to fly through EWR could mean good news for travelers. And with Southwest Airlines expanding its domestic route network, it looks like the carrier is answering the call by adding a new route from EWR to San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU).
The new service will begin on December 17, 2016, flying in both directions on Saturdays. Currently, the carrier offers two-stop service from New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), but only on a Saturday and Sunday schedule, making the new flight from EWR its only route to Puerto Rico from the New York area that's nonstop.
To celebrate the new route, Southwest is offering special fares between EWR and SJU on Saturdays between December 17, 2016, and March 4, 2017, with prices starting at $128 or 7,561 Rapid Rewards points for one-way travel. Note that this fare sale only lasts until July 14 at 11:59pm in the respective time zone of the originating city.
Increase your stash of Rapid Rewards points by signing up for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card. The card currently comes with a sign-up bonus of 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 in the first three months. By signing up for this card and its business version, you can earn 110,000 points, giving you the amount needed to snag the Southwest Companion Pass, one of the most lucrative rewards in the industry.