The U.S. Department of Transportation has given Southwest Airlines and its wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways the right to operate new international flights between Denver International Airport and Cancun International Airport and between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Cancun International Airport.

Austinis a new market for AirTran Airways. Daily roundtrip service between Denver and Cancun will operate from April 16 through July 7, and then move to Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday service from July 8 through Aug. 12. It will run Saturday and Sunday from Aug. 13 through Sept. 28.

Austin-Cancun flights will start May 25 and operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday through Aug. 31. From Sept. 1 through Sept. 28, it will operate on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

In addition to the new international service, AirTran will operate new domestic roundtrip service between Houston Hobby and San Antonio, and between Houston Hobby and Austin to support the international routes. The new service between Houston and San Antonio begins May 24, and the new service between Houston and Austin begins May 25. Both roundtrips are scheduled to operate through the end of the current flight schedule, Sept. 28.