Southwest Is Pointing Its Planes at the Tropics

Southwest Airlines has been better known for domestic hops than for beach getaways abroad, but a new slate of routes is changing that picture. The carrier is adding 11 new nonstop international routes, with the first of them, Las Vegas to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, starting on November 1.

Las Vegas is a natural launch pad. Southwest already handles more than 40 percent of all flight operations at the Nevada airport, which gives it plenty of aircraft and crews to deploy on leisure routes. Other departure cities in the expansion include Nashville, Austin, Columbus and Pittsburgh, spreading the new tropical options well beyond the Southwest’s traditional western strongholds.

Some of the new flying is further out. Nashville to Liberia, Costa Rica, and Nashville to Aruba are slated to begin in 2027, with start dates in February and March. That staggered schedule means travelers have time to plan, and also time to watch for fare sales as each route opens for booking.

For warm-weather seekers in mid-sized cities, the appeal is simple: a nonstop flight to a beach destination without a connection through a hub. Whether the new routes hold up year-round or settle into a seasonal pattern will become clearer after the first winter of service. Check the airline’s schedule for exact days of operation before booking.

Sources: Fox News Travel