southwest airlines new routes just changed the game for your summer travel plans
- Budget-friendly expansion to sunny escapes. Southwest added five new nonstop routes from Nashville to popular beach destinations like Pensacola and Myrtle Beach, starting as low as $49 one-way for booking early.
- Major boost for West Coast travelers. New connections from Las Vegas to Boise and Spokane are now available, breaking up the monopoly of pricier carriers and cutting travel time by over two hours.
- Hidden city ticketing loophole gets bigger. With southwest airlines new routes opening up secondary hubs like Baltimore and St. Louis, savvy flyers can now score cheaper fares to cities they weren't originally targeting.
- Seasonal routes return with a twist. Popular summer-only flights, like Denver to Anchorage and Chicago to Portland, Maine, are back with added frequency and lower avg. fares than last year.
- Loyalty points just got easier to earn. Southwest’s new route schedule aligns with their Rapid Rewards program, meaning more direct flights to earn points on without connecting layovers eating up time.