Southwest Airlines
will restart flights between Chicago Midway and Indianapolis next year following a five-year hiatus. The carrier will resume flights in August 2025 with a twice-daily year-round service, and is also set to launch direct flights to Nashville next spring.

Southwest relaunches Chicago Midway-Indianapolis flights

Chicago Midway (MDW) will become Southwest’s 20th destination out of Indianapolis International (IND), reconnecting the two airports after an almost five-year break. Southwest last operated the approximately 70-minute route between the two airports in 2020, and it is one of several domestic routes due to complement its network next year.

Chicago Midway International Airport

Photo: Midway International Airport

According to Mario Rodriguez, executive director of the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA), this will be the airport’s 52nd nonstop destination. Southwest will be the only airline operating flights from Indianapolis to Chicago’s secondary airport, but the two cities are already connected via Chicago’s main airport, Chicago O’Hare International (ORD).

According to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium for December, American Airlines
and United Airlines
both operate flights from Chicago O’Hare to Indianapolis – United flies up to 7 daily flights, while American offers up to 5 daily flights.

MDW

Photo: Chicago Midway Airport

Maggie Cunningham, IAA director of air service and airport experience, commented,

“Chicago Midway gives Hoosiers more access to Southwest’s destinations across the United States and beyond enabling easier travel for both business and leisure needs.”

The low-cost carrier currently flies to a total of 18 destinations out of IND – Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Cancun, Dallas Love Field, Denver, Panama City, Fort Lauderdale, Houston Hobby, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Orlando, Miami, Phoenix, Fort Myers, San Diego, Sarasota/Bradenton and Tampa.

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Aer Lingus will be joining this list in 2025 after recently announcing flights to the city.

Southwest is also the dominant airline at Chicago Midway with an extensive domestic and international network of almost 70 year-round destinations and half a dozen seasonal routes. It also maintains a small presence at Chicago O’Hare, but its operations at Chicago’s main airport are dwarfed by American and United.

Double-daily schedule

Cirium data shows that Southwest’s double-daily service will offer almost 10,000 monthly seats each way with its Boeing 737-700 and Boeing 737-800 fleet. The full schedule is as follows:

IND to MDW

  • Departs Indianapolis at 07:30, arrives in Chicago Midway at 07:40
  • Departs Indianapolis at 16:50, arrives in Chicago Midway at 17:00

MDW to IND

  • Departs Chicago Midway at 10:00, arrives in Indianapolis at 12:05
  • Departs Chicago Midway at 20:25, arrives in Indianapolis at 22:25
N464WN Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 (16x9)

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Southwest will also be adding another destination from Indianapolis next year, with flights to Nashville (BNA) set to launch on March 6th, 2025. This will be a daily flight and the IAA has apparently been pursuing this nonstop connection for more than seven years – Southwest will also boost its capacity from IND during next year’s busy Spring Break travel period.

Eight new domestic routes

Southwest’s Indianapolis-Chicago Midway announcement comes amid a wider network expansion next summer as one of eight new (or restarted) routes due to commence in August 2025. Of these eight new routes, four will involve Southwest’s Orlando (MCO) base, one of the country’s top tourism spots and Florida’s busiest airport:

  • Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS) to San Francisco International (SFO)
  • Nashville International (BNA) to Louisville Muhammad Ali International (SDF)
  • Indianapolis International (IND) to Chicago Midway International (MDW)
  • Orlando International (MCO) to Los Angeles International (LAX)
  • Orlando International (MCO) to Miami International (MIA)
  • Orlando International (MCO) to Palm Beach International (PBI)
  • Orlando International (MCO) to Sarasota-Bradenton International (SRQ)
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) to Santa Barbara Municipal (SBA)
Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8H4 (N8322X) taxiing at Orlando International Airport.

Photo: Wenjie Zheng | Shutterstock

Tickets for Southwest’s network next summer are now on sale through October 1st, 2025. The carrier will soon be implementing its new seat selection option after decades of persisting with its unallocated seating model – its new policy is set to kick-in in early 2026, allowing passengers to assign their seats before flying.

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