In December 2024, 
Southwest Airlines
plans an average of 3,838 daily services, 375 fewer than a year ago (down by 8.9%). Obviously, the vast majority—3,571 daily—are domestic. Southwest has 17.1% of the US’s enormous domestic market by flights in the festive month. However, due to its all-Boeing 737 fleet, it has more than one in five domestic seats for sale (21.1%).
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Top airports: December summary
According to Cirium Diio information, Southwest will serve 117 airports in December 2024, as shown below. That is a reduction from 121 available in December 2023.
Bellingham, Cozumel, Houston Intercontinental, and Syracuse had their last Southwest flight in August 2024. Compared to last December, the carrier has not added any airports to its map.
Image: GCMap
Some 104 of the 117 airports are within the US (including Puerto Rico, a territory). They are in 44 states (including the territory). Unsurprisingly, California has the most airports this month (13), followed by Florida (11) and Texas (10).
Southwest serves more Californian airports than anywhere else, and one in four flights is to, from, and within California, much more than any other state. Despite this, no California airport made the top 10 list. San Diego was the closest entry in 12th place, followed by Oakland in 13th, Sacramento in 14th, San Jose in 16th, and Los Angeles in 17th. No wonder the state is first overall.
Photo: The Global Guy | Shutterstock
Southwest’s top 10 airports: December
While Denver
remains Southwest’s most-served airport, movements have been reduced by a considerable 14.1% year-on-year. This is much more than the airline’s overall reduction and more than any other top-10 facility. This is mainly because of frequency cuts in its existing network.
|
Airport |
December roundtrip flights* |
% of the airport’s service |
Southwest’s December routes (#1 destination)** |
Southwest’s flight change vs. December 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Denver |
502 |
28.1% |
87 (Phoenix) |
-14.1% |
|
Las Vegas |
459 |
41.6% |
69 (San Diego) |
-7.9% |
|
Baltimore |
398 |
74.2% |
70 (Orlando) |
-7.2% |
|
Dallas Love |
390= |
96.7% |
66 (Houston Hobby) |
-4.3% |
|
Phoenix |
390= |
44.0% |
60 (Denver) |
+6.8% |
|
Chicago Midway |
351 |
87.6% |
70 (Phoenix) |
-13.0% |
|
Houston Hobby |
294 |
92.4% |
66 (Dallas Love) |
-9.5% |
|
Nashville |
278 |
51.8% |
60 (Dallas Love) |
-0.7% |
|
Orlando |
257 |
23.8% |
55 (Baltimore) |
-3.6% |
|
St. Louis |
227 |
58.6% |
51 (Denver) |
+0.5% |
|
* Flights/31 days |
** Incl. any one-offs |
Photo: Minh K Tran | Shutterstock
Southwest’s 860 December routes
When Southwest’s one-off and other time-limited services are considered, it has 860 December routes: 799 are domestic (665 daily+), and 61 are international (30+ daily). More than eight of 10 routes are served daily+, with a median of 13 weekly (nearly double daily). The top 10 routes are shown below.
Image: GCMap
Curiously, number one, the intra-Hawaiian link, was ‘only’ fifth last December, when Denver-Phoenix was first. Then, Las Vegas-Denver and Las Vegas-Oakland were in the top 10, replaced now by Las Vegas-Phoenix and Las Vegas-San Jose.
- Honolulu-Kahului: 341 one-way flights (11 daily each day)
- Denver-Phoenix: 332 (avg. 10.7 daily, varying from seven to 12 daily)
- Dallas Love-Houston Hobby: 327 (avg. 10.5 daily, from eight to 12 daily)
- San Diego-Sacramento: 317 (avg. 10.2 daily; from eight to 15 daily; 15 is on December 1)
- San Diego-San Jose: 312 (avg. of 10.0 daily; from six to 14 daily; 14 is on December 1)
- Las Vegas-San Diego: 305 (avg. of 9.8 daily; from seven to 12 daily)
- Baltimore-Orlando: 299 (avg. of 9.6 daily; from nine to 10 daily)
- Las Vegas-Phoenix: 293 (avg. of 9.5 daily; from seven to 13 daily)
- Las Vegas-Sacramento: 286 (avg. of 9.2 daily; from seven to 11 daily)
- Las Vegas-San Jose: 282 (avg. of 9.1 daily; from seven to 11 daily)