Southwest Airlines announced it will launch daily nonstop service between Ontario International Airport and Honolulu, beginning June 2026, while introducing customer experience upgrades such as assigned seating, premium options, and free Wi-Fi for loyalty members.

This route expansion will double available seats between Southern California and Hawaii, positioning Southwest as a major competitor on a key leisure travel corridor served by Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets.

We’ll explore how Southwest’s capacity increase on the California-Hawaii route may influence its broader investment narrative and competitive positioning.

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To hold Southwest Airlines as an investment, you have to believe the airline can successfully expand its network while adapting to changing consumer preferences and managing costs. The recent announcement of daily nonstop service between Ontario and Honolulu brings important visibility to its capacity-increase strategy, although the most significant short-term catalysts, customer experience upgrades and premium offerings, remain largely unaffected, with the largest immediate risk still tied to macroeconomic uncertainty in leisure travel demand.

Among recent developments, the declared cash dividend of $0.18 per share payable in January stands out. While this payout reflects stability and potential shareholder confidence, it does not directly influence the short-term growth drivers related to route expansion or premium product launches.

However, investors should also be aware that, unlike the capacity boost story, there are near-term headwinds such as softened leisure bookings and…

Read the full narrative on Southwest Airlines (it’s free!)

Southwest Airlines’ outlook forecasts $32.6 billion in revenue and $1.9 billion in earnings by 2028. This scenario requires a 5.9% annual revenue growth rate and a $1.5 billion increase in earnings from the current $392.0 million.

Uncover how Southwest Airlines’ forecasts yield a $34.23 fair value, in line with its current price.

LUV Community Fair Values as at Nov 2025 LUV Community Fair Values as at Nov 2025

Seven Simply Wall St Community members shared fair value estimates for Southwest ranging from US$8.14 to US$45.91, showing just how far opinions can spread. While some see opportunity, others warn that ongoing macro uncertainty could keep future airline demand unpredictable, reminding you to weigh multiple viewpoints before making decisions.

Explore 7 other fair value estimates on Southwest Airlines – why the stock might be worth as much as 31% more than the current price!

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include LUV.

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