From June 4, 2024, Southwest will open daily service from MCO to six destinations: Cancun, Mexico; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Nassau, Bahamas; Providenciales, Turks and Caicos; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and San Jos?, Costa Rica.

In 2024 and extending into early 2025, Southwest Airlines significantly expanded its network with a focus on international leisure and "red-eye" service. Key 2024 additions included daily nonstop service from Orlando (MCO) to international spots like Cancun and Punta Cana, and from Burbank (BUR) to new destinations like New Orleans, San Antonio, and Boise. Moving into 2025, the airline launched historic overnight "red-eye" flights, with initial routes from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix to hubs like Baltimore and Orlando. Nashville became a major focus point, with new 2025 service to Cabo San Lucas and Indianapolis. For 2026, Southwest is continuing this aggressive growth by adding its 49th state: Alaska. Daily nonstop flights to Anchorage (ANC) from Denver and Las Vegas are slated to begin in May 2026, marking a pivotal expansion into the Pacific Northwest for the Dallas-based carrier.

Excellent question! Southwest Airlines has announced several new routes for 2024, with a focus on expanding from key coastal cities and adding new seasonal and year-round service.

Here’s a breakdown of the major new routes announced for 2024, categorized for clarity:

New Year-Round Routes (Already Launched or Starting Soon)

These are significant additions to Southwest’s permanent network.

• From Atlanta (ATL): A major expansion for Southwest at a Delta stronghold.
  • Charleston, SC (CHS) – Began March 7, 2024.
  • Washington (Reagan National - DCA) – Began April 8, 2024.
• From Burbank (BUR):
  • San Jose, CA (SJC) – Began April 8, 2024. A key California corridor route.
• From Chicago (Midway - MDW):
  • Montréal, Canada (YUL) – Began April 8, 2024. A new international destination from Chicago.
• From Nashville (BNA):
  • Seattle/Tacoma (SEA) – Began March 7, 2024.
  • Washington (Reagan National - DCA) – Began April 8, 2024.
• From Orlando (MCO):
  • Birmingham, AL (BHM) – Began March 7, 2024.
  • Cincinnati (CVG) – Began March 7, 2024.
  • San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) – Began March 7, 2024. A major new Caribbean route.
• From Phoenix (PHX):
  • Baltimore/Washington (BWI) – Began March 7, 2024.
  • Washington (Reagan National - DCA) – Began April 8, 2024.
• From Tampa (TPA):
  • Columbus, OH (CMH) – Began March 7, 2024.
  • San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) – Began March 7, 2024.

New Seasonal & International Routes (Mostly for Summer/Fall