dailynewsnblog
Now that August is underway, it is worth examining 
Southwest Airlines’ plans for the rest of the year. Between September and December, the hybrid operator will launch 11 new and returning routes. As they have all been announced, this article simply explores what is happening. They build on four launches in August.
The 11 upcoming airport pairs were identified by using OAG data to explore Southwest’s full schedule. The airline’s entire network from January 2025 to August 2026 was compared to what is planned for September to December 2026. No links are due to take off in the festive month, while routes starting in 2027 will not be discussed here.
Only One Route Will Begin In September
September is an odd month for new routes. After all, it is very late in the northern aviation summer, which started in late March based on IATA slot seasons, and it is too early for winter, which will begin in late October. This is why the majority of launches occur in March and October. Obviously, new routes still materialize at other times, including in September.
On September 24, Southwest will lift off from Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS). TYS only welcomed the carrier in March 2026. The route from AUS will cover 766 nautical miles (1,419 km) each way. Only nine departures exist from AUS, with ten to TYS.
Flights will leave Texas on September 24, 25 (two departures), and 27, as well as on Saturdays only from October 3 through October 24, with an additional service on Sunday, November 15. From Tennessee, they’ll operate on September 24, 25, and 27 (three departures), then on Saturdays until October 24 and on Sunday, November 15.
Perhaps the higher frequencies on September 25 and 27 are because of the Crossroads Guitar Festival. 
American Airlines and 
Delta Air Lines will also fly on September 27, while Allegiant Air has its regular operation. Southwest’s website shows that nearly all the following three flights on September 27 are full. No seats remain on the 11:35 AM and 4:50 PM departures, while the ‘cheapest’ ticket on the 10:30 AM service is a mere $631. That’s supply and demand in action.
Departure Time From TYS On September 27 | Arrival Time In AUS; Local Time | Equipment |
|---|---|---|
10:30 AM | 12:05 PM | 737-800 |
11:35 AM | 1:10 PM | 737-800 |
4:50 PM | 6:25 PM | 737-800 |
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These Five Routes Will Begin In October
Three of the links involve AUS, and two are from Nashville International Airport (BNA). Back in 2019, before the pandemic started, BNA was only Southwest’s 14th-busiest airport for flights, with 221 daily movements. In 2026, it ranks seventh, with 364 daily movements. BNA has become increasingly popular as a connecting airport, and it has progressively replaced Lambert St Louis International Airport (STL) for that role. Southwest’s STL movements have reduced over the past seven years.
Some of the entries are highly notable. Four of them will be unserved by another carrier when Southwest inaugurates them, while two of them are brand-new: they have not had nonstop flights with any airline before. Subject to exciting celebratory images, they are bound to make the weekly jam-packed new routes article (see the last edition).
They include BNA to Reno Tahoe International Airport (RNO). The US Department of Transportation (DOT) shows that 44,665 round-trip passengers flew indirectly in the 12 months to April 2026. With 62% of the traffic, Southwest is already the market leader, with most people connecting in 
Denver International Airport (DEN), Las Vegas’ 
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), and Phoenix. Southwest’s provision of nonstop services will mean the size of the local market will inevitably grow nicely.
Start Date | Route | Southwest’s Operations* | Head-To-Head Competition? |
|---|---|---|---|
October 1 | AUS to Memphis | Six weekly to daily | Yes, with Delta Connection, but only briefly. Delta will end the route on October 25 |
October 1 | BNA to Manchester | Four to six weekly | No. This route was last served in 2006, when Southwest operated |
October 1 | BNA to Reno | Four to five weekly | No. This market has not had nonstop flights before |
October 3 | AUS to Destin-Fort Walton Beach | Very briefly: Saturday only through October 24 | No. But Allegiant Air operated until 2022, followed by Southwest until 2023 and American Eagle until 2024 |
October 3 | AUS to Santa Rosa | Very briefly: Saturday only through October 24 | No. This market has not had nonstop flights before |
* Known as of August 5, and subject to change |
These Five Routes Will Start In November
Southwest will launch flights on the following five airport pairs, although another route was down to welcome the carrier in November. Only one of the additions has had Southwest service before. That is 
Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC). Covering 2,104 nautical miles (3,897 km) each way, it is Southwest’s new longest link from MCO.
The DOT shows that Southwest previously had nonstop flights from MCO to SJC between 2018 and 2020. Until 2018, the market had not been served by any airline. In all, 115,120 round-trip passengers were transported, and 80.8% of the seats were filled. It will be good to see the performance a second time around.
Start Date | Route | Southwest’s Operations* | Head-To-Head Competition? |
|---|---|---|---|
November 1 | LAS to Puerto Vallarta | Weekly to six weekly | No. Alaska Airlines operated until February 2026. Other carriers flew too, such as American West until 2007, US Airways until 2008, Sun Country until 2009, and Frontier until 2021 |
November 21 | DEN to Palm Beach (with a new name; the new IATA code takes effect on August 18) | Three to five weekly | Yes: United. Frontier operated until 2023 |
November 21 | Fort Lauderdale to San Diego | Three to five weekly | Yes: Alaska Airlines and JetBlue (returns in November) |
November 21 | Kansas City to San Francisco | Three to five weekly | Yes: United. Midwest operated until 2010, Frontier until 2012 and Alaska until 2019. Southwest ended flights from Kansas City to Oakland in January 2026 |
November 21 | MCO to SJC | Very briefly: November 21 and 28, and then on December 19 and 26 and on January 2 only | No. Southwest served this market until 2020 |
* Known as of August 5, and subject to change |
