Southwest Airlines is adding five new international destinations to its schedule for the Northern Hemisphere winter season. The carrier, which operates the largest fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft in the world, is expanding its reach with services that began in November and will continue through early 2027. The winter travel season runs from October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027.
Las Vegas to Puerto Vallarta Launches
The first of these new routes took flight on November 1, connecting Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) to Puerto Vallarta (PVR) on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Southwest is operating up to six weekly flights on this route. This service marks the airline’s third international destination from Las Vegas, joining existing nonstop flights to Cancun (CUN) and San Jose del Cabo (SJD).
Passengers can connect to Puerto Vallarta from several Southwest hubs. Year-round service is available from Denver (DEN), Houston (HOU), Las Vegas (LAS), Orange County (SNA), Phoenix (PHX), St. Louis (STL), and San Diego (SAN). Seasonal connections are also offered from Austin (AUS) and Sacramento (SMF).
Southwest is now the second-largest international carrier serving Puerto Vallarta, offering nine total destinations. Only WestJet, with 12 destinations, serves the city more extensively. United and Delta each offer six destinations to the Mexican resort.
Nashville and Austin Expand to Costa Rica and Aruba
Starting in January 2027, Southwest will launch two uncontested nonstop routes from Nashville International Airport (BNA). The airline will begin service to Liberia (LIR) in Costa Rica and Aruba (AUA). Southwest holds a dominant position at Nashville, controlling more than 56% of the airport’s market share, ahead of American Airlines and Delta.
From Nashville, the airline already operates up to 60 nonstop routes within the United States. Its international network from this hub includes year-round flights to Cancun and San Juan (SJU), along with seasonal services to Montego Bay (MBJ), San Jose (SJO), Cabo San Lucas (SJD), and St. Thomas (STT).
Southwest is also strengthening its presence at Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). A new nonstop route to San Jose (SJO), the capital of Costa Rica, begins on March 13. Southwest remains the largest carrier at Austin, managing approximately 41% of commercial flights. This places it ahead of Delta, which is currently increasing its operations at the Texas airport.
From Austin, travelers can fly nonstop to 45 destinations. Existing international routes include Cancun and San Jose del Cabo. Additional winter routes will include San Jose, with further expansions planned for next year to Nassau, Punta Cana, and Liberia.
Columbus Gains Dominican Republic Service
The final new international route for the winter season connects Columbus (CMH) to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) in the Dominican Republic. This service begins in March and will compete directly with Breeze Airways. Columbus already has winter international flights to Cancun and San Juan, adding Punta Cana to the airline’s Caribbean offerings from the Ohio hub.
Source: Simple Flying
