Southwest Airlines
is the world’s largest low-cost carrier and one of the largest airlines in the world. With a massive fleet of Boeing 737
aircraft, the airline operates a robust schedule across the United States and beyond and has become a preferred carrier for many leisure and business travelers alike.

Southwest is known for doing things differently than its peers – from giving passengers two free checked bags with every ticket to its open seating model, the airline marches to the beat of its own drum. However, Southwest is currently revamping its commercial strategy to adapt to shifting customer preferences. The new changes will see Southwest scrap its open seating policy, which passengers have been known to abuse to get better seats.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX departing Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport LAS shutterstock_2127841190

Photo: Bradley Caslin | Shutterstock

The low-cost carrier’s network consists primarily of short-haul routes, but over time, it has added longer domestic and international services that connect to more distant destinations. Most recently, the US Government granted Southwest permission to operate flights from notoriously slot-restricted Regan National Airport in Washington, DC to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.

As the airline updates its operations, it has continued to acquire new Boeing 737 MAX 8
aircraft. These aircraft have 175 seats in an all-economy layout, and their capacity will not change after Southwest introduces extra legroom seating this coming year.

Southwest 737 MAX 8 flying

Photo: Dorengo5 | Shutterstock

While these are deployed across Southwest’s entire network, these fuel-efficient jets are often used on services from the western United States to Hawaii. According to Cirium, an aviation data analytics firm, the airline has an extensive portfolio of medium-haul routes flown by the 737 MAX 8 that do not travel across the Pacific.

Related

Trip Report: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 From Los Angeles To Dallas

This was my first time flying to Dallas Love Field.

1

Albany – Las Vegas

2,237 Miles

The first route on this list connects the capital of New York with Harry Reid International Airport
(LAS) in Las Vegas. Given Sin City’s status as both a popular leisure destination and Southwest’s second-busiest city (behind Denver but before Chicago), it’s safe to assume this route is deployed both for local demand and to boost connectivity from Albany to the west coast.

WN ALB-LAS-1

Photo: Albany International Airport

This month, Southwest offers a total of 3,850 seats across 22 direct flights between the two cities. Oddly enough, a disproportionate number of flights are westbound. Only 5 flights travel east to Albany from Las Vegas; the rest depart from New York. Thus, 2,975 seats are available to Las Vegas, but only 875 on flights returning to Albany.

Southwest offers up to 276 daily departures from Las Vegas and has direct flights to 70 destinations. With 21 gates and over 5,000 employees, Southwest has solidified itself as Las Vegas’ dominant player.

2

Baltimore – San Diego

2,295 Miles

The next route on this list is from Baltimore to San Diego International Airport
(SAN). San Diego also has strategic importance to Southwest Airlines – in fact, it typically boasts more daily departures from the carrier than Los Angeles. The airline first started serving San Diego in January of 1982 – it was the 17th destination in Southwest’s network.

southwest boeing 737 max 8

In January 2025, 68 flights are offered between the two destinations. 36 of these services are westbound, and 32 flights are operated from the Southern California city to Baltimore. A total of 11,900 seats are available between the city pair – 6,300 on westbound flights and 5,600 on eastbound flights.

In 2024, Southwest announced that it would be adding red-eye flights to its schedule for the first time in its over 50-year history. By March 2025, both San Diego and Los Angeles to Baltimore will see the addition of an overnight service. These leave before 22:00 local time and arrive in Maryland slightly past 05:00.

53832559982_1fb7946298_o

Photo: San Diego International Airport

Boasting up to 111 daily flights, San Diego sees extensive service from Southwest. While it maintains a busy schedule, it only operates direct flights to 34 cities from San Diego. This reflects the high-frequency nature of many of Southwest’s intra-Californian flights. Services to San Jose, Oakland, and Sacramento often see many daily flights as the airline attempts to attract business travelers who prefer flexibility and more options in their travel itineraries.

3

Baltimore – Los Angeles

2,329 Miles

The third-longest, non-Hawaiian Southwest 737 MAX 8 route is domestic and stretches from Southwest’s East Coast base at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). The service to California’s most populous city is often operated twice daily and uses a mix of 737 variants, and the MAX is often deployed between the two city pairs.

A Southwest plane landing at Baltimore Airport.

Photo: Jeramey Lende | Shutterstock

There are 4,900 seats available on westbound flights and 5,775 seats available on the return trip to Maryland, for a total of 10,675 seats available between the coastal cities. This month, Southwest will offer a total of 61 flights from BWI to LAX, 28 that leave from Baltimore, and 33 that depart Los Angeles.

Baltimore is Southwest’s fourth-busiest city, and plays an important role in its network. The city serves as the carrier’s gateway to the US East Coast, and passengers will often connect here for flights to destinations like Boston (BOS), Hartford (BDL), Long Island (ISP), and Albany (ALB).

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8H4 N8696E (3)

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

Southwest first entered the Baltimore market on September 15, 1993, with a total of 10 daily nonstop flights to two cities: Chicago Midway and Cleveland. Baltimore was the 36th city in the carrier’s network. Southwest went into head-to-head competition with US Airways upon its arrival, which held a dominant position at the airport. The subsequent intense fare war resulted in US Airways launching a low-cost brand dubbed Metrojet, which ultimately failed.

Southwest’s victory against US Airways resulted in the carrier continuing to expand and creating a massive base in Baltimore. Today, the airline has 26 gates and employs 5,224 employees. This infrastructure supports up to 235 daily departures to 79 cities.

us-airways-airbus-a320-n106us

Los Angeles also has a robust Southwest schedule, though the city is significantly less important in the carrier’s network. This is partially due to Southwest’s extensive presence at nearby airports: it is the dominant carrier at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Long Beach Airport, and John Wayne Airport south of downtown Los Angeles in Santa Ana.

Southwest initially entered the Los Angeles Market on September 18, 1982. The carrier, which had only been operating for 11 years by the time it arrived at LAX, used a legal loophole designed for new airlines to gain access to coveted gate space at the hub. Los Angeles International Airport
(LAX) was the 19th destination Southwest added to its network.

Boeing 737-800 Southwest Retro Gold

Today, Southwest serves 28 nonstop markets and operates a maximum of 77 daily flights. Using 13 gates and over 2,000 gates, the city bolsters the carrier’s already large presence in the state of California. While direct flights to the East Coast are limited on Southwest, service to Baltimore boosts connectivity for passengers.

4

Denver – Liberia, Costa Rica

2,332 Miles

The next route on the list is an international service from Denver. In fact, two routes to Costa Rica are on this list- but this is to Liberia. This service is operated with the same capacity as Southwest’s flights to San Jose in January 2025 – 525 seats offered in each direction, and a total of 1,050 offered between the cities. The two routes have the same frequency, with each flight being operated three times in January in each direction.

MAX

Photo: Southwest Airlines

Liberia is an even smaller destination than San Jose for the carrier. Southwest first touched down in the Costa Rican city on November 1, 2015, just a few months after its arrival in the country’s capital. Today, it operates a maximum of four daily departures to three cities: Baltimore/Washington, Denver, and Houston Hobby.

5

Denver – San Jose, Costa Rica

2,410 Miles

Southwest’s network is primarily domestic. However, it operates various international services to Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Unlike other airlines, which typically only fly international services from their bases, Southwest also does point-to-point flights across borders from smaller destinations.

However, Southwest’s longest 737 MAX 8 flight that does not touch the Hawaiian Islands is from the carrier’s busiest base at Denver International Airport
(DEN) to San Jose, Costa Rica. In January 2025, Southwest will have 525 seats offered in each direction between the two destinations, making 1,050 seats available.

United and Southwest Airlines aircraft at Denver International Airport

Photo: Denver International Airport

Despite its point-to-point operations, Denver has come to resemble a hub for Southwest. While the carrier turns flights around on a rolling basis (rather than banking flights like traditional hub-and-spoke carriers), Southwest funnels a lot of traffic through the Mile High City. It has become a destination of strategic importance for the airline.

The carrier first started serving Denver in January 2006, with initial service consisting of 13 daily departures to three cities: Chicago Midway, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. Today, the airline operates up to 302 daily departures to 92 cities using 34 gates on Denver Airport’s Concourse C.

Southwest Boeing 737

Photo: Denver International Airport

Meanwhile, San Jose, Costa Rica, is much less important to the Southwest network. The budget carrier first landed in Costa Rica in March 2015, following its merger with AirTran Airways, which already had an international presence. Initial service consisted of one daily flight to Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Today, the airline operates up to five daily flights to Baltimore, Denver, Houston Hobby, and Orlando. The Denver service is operated thrice-monthly in each direction.

6


7


8


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *