Summary
- Southwest has over 4,000 daily roundtrip flights in the coming week.
- It serves 121 airports in this period, 107 domestic and 14 international.
- Six of Southwest’s 10 busiest airports have grown by 10-20% compared to last year.
This article was researched and written on June 20. Based on examining Southwest’s entire network using Cirum data, it plans an average of 4,289 daily roundtrip flights in the coming week (June 20-26). A staggering 4,168 daily services (97%) will be domestic. It is the third-largest US domestic operator by flights and the number six in the country’s short-haul international market.
121 airports are served
In the seven days examined, Southwest will have flights to 121 airports. Of these, 107 are within the country (including Puerto Rico, a US territory considered domestic). Some 14 are international in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.
Its airport portfolio may differ at other times of the year. It is, therefore, a snapshot only.
Image: GCMap
In the week analyzed, it will serve 44 US states and territories. Unsurprisingly, more airports are in California (13) than anywhere else. Then there’s Texas (11) and Florida (11). The trio accounts for about four in 10 of Southwest’s flights.
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Southwest’s 10 busiest airports
They are summarized below. There are no real surprises, but it is good to have the numbers. While Southwest does not have official hubs (a specific thing), they are so busy with high frequencies and numerous transit passengers that they are effectively hubs in all but name.
When Southwest’s entire networkwide operation is considered, flights have risen by 5% compared to the same June week in 2023, when it had more services than in the pre-pandemic June 2019.
As you can see in the table, all the 10 busiest airports have more flights than last year. Most notable are Baltimore, Phoenix, Houston Hobby, Nashville, Orlando, and St Louis, which have increased by 10-20% – much more than Southwest’s overall operation.
|
Airport |
Average* Southwest daily roundtrip** flights: June 20-26 |
Change vs. 2023*** |
Share of the airport’s flights^ |
Rank at the airport^^ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Denver |
591 |
+9% |
30% |
#2 (after United) |
|
Las Vegas |
481 |
+1% |
43% |
#1 |
|
Chicago Midway |
473 |
+5% |
88% |
#1 |
|
Baltimore |
449 |
+11% |
72% |
#1 |
|
Dallas Love |
407 |
+2% |
96% |
#1 |
|
Phoenix |
377 |
+10% |
34% |
#2 (after American) |
|
Houston Hobby |
338 |
+13% |
92% |
#1 |
|
Nashville |
305 |
+15% |
48% |
#1 |
|
Orlando |
285 |
+20% |
27% |
#1 |
|
St Louis |
253 |
+17% |
58% |
#1 |
|
* Some days will have more services and others fewer ** Departures and arrivals combined |
*** Same week |
^ In these seven days only |
^^ By flights; it may differ by passengers, seats, and ASMs |
Southwest at Orlando
Southwest first served Orlando 28 years ago, in 1996. It was the ninth-busiest airport out of 121 in its network in June. Despite 20% more flights than last year, it was also ninth, as in other years. However, it ranked 11th in June 2019.
Southwest has 59 Orlando routes during the examined week. Frequencies vary from weekly each way (Jackson, Long Beach, and Sacramento) to 76 weekly (Baltimore).
Comparing its Orlando network to the same week in 2023 indicates that only Fort Myers has been cut. The 116 nautical mile (214 km) route was served daily and was, of course, for transit passengers. US Department of Transportation data shows that 94% of passengers connected to another flight last year.
In contrast, since last June, 13 routes have joined or rejoined Southwest’s Orlando map: Albuquerque, Cancun, Detroit, El Paso, Grand Cayman (new in 2024), Long Beach, Minneapolis, Providenciales (new in 2024), Punta Cana (new in 2024), Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Jose (Costa Rica; new in 2024), and Tulsa.
What do you make of it all? Let us know in the comments section.