Southwest Airlines plans to operate 3,902 daily services (takeoffs and landings combined) in the third quarter of 2026 (July-September). Compared with the same period last year, Cirium data shows its offering has increased by a modest 0.3%, though that’s from an enormous base.
The self-described hybrid operator plans to fly to 120 airports, both domestic and international, in Q3 2026. Thanks to five additions, its portfolio has risen from 117 airports served in the same three months in 2025. Two places no longer see the carrier.
The airline’s full route network in Q3 2025 was compared to what’s available between July and September 2026. This process showed that the following five airports have been added to the map. Four are domestic (including a destination in a US territory in the Caribbean), and one is international. As Southwest has already started flying to them all, this article simply summarizes the changes.
The most notable development was the launch of flights to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) two months ago. Until then, Alaska had not been part of Southwest’s network in the carrier’s 55-year history. To increase aircraft productivity and enable massive connectivity across the US and beyond, flights operate overnight back to Denver International Airport (DEN) and Harry Reid International Airport (LAS).
Ranking For Flights Out Of 120 Airports Served In Q3
Austin, Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, Tampa
Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS)
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
Southwest Has Had A Huge Impact In Santa Rosa
STS is located approximately 55 miles (89 km) north of San Francisco. Predictably, Southwest’s arrival has contributed to record-breaking capacity. In Q3 2026, STS will have 406,000 round-trip seats for sale, which is 44% above the prior record, held in Q3 2024. That’s despite Avelo Airlines pulling out in August 2025.
Given Southwest’s all-Boeing 737 fleet and up to five daily departures during the period examined, the jump in available capacity is not surprising. But it is not just about Southwest. Alaska Airlines’ capacity has grown by 30%. This is due to the introduction of flights to Ontario and Palm Springs, along with strong expansion to Burbank, LAS, Portland International Airport (PDX), and San Diego International Airport (SAN).
Southwest and Alaska both serve BUR, LAS, and SAN. Now STS-BUR has 54,000 round-trip seats, nearly 17,000 more than the previous record in Q3. The challenge for both operators will be to consistently fill them at fares that are decent enough. The Department of Transportation shows that Avelo only achieved a 68% load factor when it served the market — it was the only carrier and had far fewer seats. In the coming months, it’ll be good to see how Southwest and Alaska perform.
Southwest Has Stopped Flying To These Airports
Like any airline, Southwest often rejigs its network. Comparing Q3 2025 with what’s available in 2026 shows that Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) have been removed from Southwest’s map. The airline has consolidated at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) and BWI, which are among its most-served airports.
ORD and IAD last saw the carrier in June 2026. Southwest flew to ORD, which is the world’s busiest airport for flights but not for passengers, since 2021. IAD had been part of its network since 2006. In the past 20 years, DOT data show that Southwest has carried 10.3 million passengers to/from IAD. 78.1% of seats were filled, slightly below the airline’s overall average.
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