Southwest adds four new nonstop routes this week

Southwest Airlines launches four new nonstop routes starting this week, all tied to California airports. Two originate from Long Beach, one from San Diego, and one from Burbank. These additions reflect modest network growth amid peak summer travel.

The new routes include Long Beach to Portland and Seattle, San Diego to Santa Barbara, and Burbank to Honolulu. Operations begin August 4 or 8, using 737 variants. Long Beach routes are notable given the airport’s slot constraints, with Southwest reclaiming capacity previously held by JetBlue and Alaska Airlines.

Alaska Airlines will also return to Long Beach in September, matching Southwest on Seattle flights. This signals intensified competition on key West Coast corridors. Southwest’s August schedule includes 3,817 daily movements across 906 routes, up slightly from last year’s total.

Why it matters

Travelers gain direct access between underserved California airports and major hubs like Seattle and Honolulu. Fares may tighten as competition heats up, especially on Long Beach routes where Alaska’s return could limit Southwest’s pricing flexibility.