Southwest Airlines Planning To Introduce Flights Between Phoenix & Birmingham 1 Month Earlier Than Expected

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines has moved up the start date of nonstop flights between Phoenix, Arizona, and Birmingham, Alabama. Over the weekend, the airline added flights to its website, indicating that the service will commence in October instead of November, which was scheduled initially.

The low-cost carrier will be the only airline to offer nonstop flights between the two destinations. The service is reportedly seasonal, lasting through the beginning of next year to accommodate increased demand during the holiday season.

“Phoenix in the fall”

Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) announced last month that Southwest would begin service to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) in November.

“If “Phoenix in the fall” sounds like fun, you can get there nonstop […] during the month of November.”

Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock

In addition to PHX, the airport also unveiled that the airline would introduce service to Nashville International Airport (BNA) around the same time. However, the routes would be a test to examine demand.

“Southwest Airlines has added nonstop flights to Phoenix and Nashville during this time to test how the market responds,” the airport explained.

Moving it up by a month

While the airline may have initially planned to observe the demand once the routes began, it appears demand could already be present. According to its website, service between PHX and BHM will start on October 3rd – exactly a month before the current start date indicated by aviation analytics and data firm Cirium, which is November 3rd.

The service will be offered four times per week on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On the first day, WN3705 is scheduled for a three-hour and 50-minute journey, departing BHM at 15:50 and arriving at PHX at 17:40 local time. The BHM-bound flight, WN3656, will leave PHX at 18:45 and land at BHM at 23:55, accounting for a three-hour and 10-minute duration. Both flights are scheduled to be operated by a Boeing 737-800.

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The Sunday edition of the route will have slightly altered flight times. WN791 is scheduled for a 10:15 departure from PHX and is expected to land at BHM at 15:25. The PHX-bound flight, WN4759, departs from BHM at 17:40 and arrives in the Valley of the Sun at 19:30.

Through January

The 737-800 appears to be the primary operator on the route throughout October, according to Southwest’s website. The aircraft seats 175 passengers in a one-class format. In the following month, the carrier will shift the route’s equipment to the smaller 737-700. Cirium data shows that the airline will operate a total of 34 flights on the route in November – 17 in each direction. The -700 variant accommodates 143 seats, meaning a total of 4,862 seats will be offered on the route during the month as the holiday travel season begins to ramp up.

Photo: Raleigh–Durham International Airport

Southwest has 15 flights in each direction scheduled for the month of December, offering nearly 4,300 seats. The service will continue through the beginning of the New Year, but only eight flights are scheduled in January. As demand is expected to decrease, Southwest will operate four flights in each direction before ending the service on January 5th.

Despite moving up the start date, Southwest is still likely to treat the route as a test. Should it become successful, the airline could decide to extend the end date or operate the route indefinitely.

Simple Flying contacted the carrier for comment on the matter, but a representative could not be immediately reached.

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