Southwest Airlines Extends Published Flight Schedule Through Jan. 4, 2021

DALLAS, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today extended its published flight schedule—from Oct. 31, 2020, through Jan. 4, 2021—bringing travelers in key Southwest cities additional flights and new routes during a period that includes additional leisure travel for the autumn and winter holidays.

"We're rounding out our plan for this unprecedented year with our business travelers in mind with a fourth quarter schedule that brings them new routes across the country. We're also offering more flights for all of our Customers in places such as Denver, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Phoenix," said Andrew Watterson, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer. "We anticipate business travelers will hit the road with a heightened focus on costs, so we're pairing unmatched schedules with our value and Hospitality to welcome them back, whenever they're ready to travel."

Southwest is making it easier for business travelers to get moving when they're ready. Earlier this month, Southwest started taking new business travel bookings via Travelport's Apollo and Worldpsan Global Distribution Systems (GDS) with industry-standard processes and settling by Airlines Reporting Corporation. By partnering with Travelport to bring Southwest's business- relevant content to the GDS, travel decision managers can book, modify, and manage their organization's travel at their fingertips.

New for the Fall and Winter
As Southwest looks toward the end of 2020, the carrier is adding a more robust schedule for business travelers with more frequencies and more nonstop flight options from Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, and Nashville.

"Never before has Southwest been more primed to emerge as the preferred choice of corporate travel as the business climate across America begins its recovery," Watterson added.

More Reach from Long Beach
Effective Nov. 1, 2020, Southwest will add roundtrip service nonstop between Long Beach and Phoenix three times daily, as well as once daily nonstop service between Long Beach and Austin.

Music City to Orange County
Effective Nov. 2, 2020, Southwest will add new nonstop service once a day (except Sundays) between Nashville and Orange County/Santa Ana, Calif.

The carrier also will offer nonstop service between Ontario, Calif. and Houston (Hobby) once a day (except Saturdays), beginning Nov. 1, 2020.

New Routes for Atlanta and Denver Customers
Effective Dec. 17, 2020, Southwest will add several new nonstop links between cities across the nation:

• Phoenix and Memphis, Tenn. – Once daily
• Denver and Birmingham, Ala. – Once daily
• Denver and Wichita, Kan. – Once daily
• Denver and Little Rock, Ark. – Once daily
• Atlanta and Oklahoma City – Three roundtrips daily, reestablishing nonstop service previously offered in 2016
• Atlanta and Omaha, Neb. – Three roundtrips daily
• Atlanta and Louisville, Ky. – Three roundtrips daily, reestablishing nonstop service previously offered in 2014

International Schedule Update
Southwest continues to monitor conditions in 14 international destinations on the carrier's network map and update operational plans. The carrier currently plans to resume service to Mexico and the Caribbean via Cancun, San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Havana, Montego Bay, and Nassau on July 1, 2020, subject to change. Service to the carrier's other international destinations will resume pending the easing of government restrictions.

These flights, as well as the carrier's full schedule, are now available for purchase on Southwest.com.

Steamboat Springs Update
Southwest continues working to publish schedule details for the carrier's intended service for Steamboat Springs, Colo., through Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN).

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements related to (i) the Company's network plans and expectations, including factors and assumptions underlying the Company's plans and expectations; (ii) the Company's initiatives and related plans and expectations, and related operational and financial expectations, including with respect to Southwest Business, global distribution systems, and related alliances and capabilities; and (iii) the Company's expectations about the business climate. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current intent, expectations, and projections and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them. Factors include, among others, (i) the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the duration, spread, severity, and any recurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the duration and scope of related government orders and restrictions, and the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on overall demand for air travel and the Company's access to capital; (ii) the impact of fears or actual outbreaks of infectious disease, economic conditions, governmental actions, extreme or severe weather and natural disasters, fears of terrorism or war, actions of competitors, fuel prices, consumer perception, and other factors beyond the Company's control, on consumer behavior and the Company's results of operations and business decisions, plans, strategies, and results; (iii) the Company's dependence on third parties, in particular with respect to global distribution systems, related alliances and capabilities, and the Company's technology plans and initiatives, and the impact on the Company's operations of any third party delays or non-performance; and (iv) other factors, as described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the detailed factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10- K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, and in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2020.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 49th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 60,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 130 million passengers in 2019. Southwest became the nation's largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. In peak travel seasons during 2019, Southwest operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 101 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries.

Southwest coined Transfarency^® to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free^® to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply.

Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. Learn more about how the carrier gives back to communities across the world by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.  

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.