Southwest Airlines is ramping up its fall flight schedule in anticipation of some huge college football and NFL games as well as other premier sporting events, music festivals and more.
The low-cost carrier in the midst of a key transition recently opened up new flights for sale, which include increased frequencies on existing routes and new nonstop service between select cities.
More Fall Flight Options for College Football Fans
Southwest is the official carrier of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and is living up to its role by adding 59 flights for 19 games throughout the fall, including 13 marquee SEC games.
Six additional flights are scheduled to depart to Columbus, Ohio, from Dallas, Austin and Houston, Texas on August 29 and eight will return to those cities on August 31, in anticipation of the national semifinal rematch between Texas and Ohio State.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City's Will Rogers International Airport will be connected to four routes not traditionally served with flights to and from Eugene, Oregon (for Oklahoma State at Oregon on September 6), Detroit (for Michigan at Oklahoma on September 6), Atlanta (for Auburn at Oklahoma on September 20) and Birmingham, Alabama (for Oklahoma at Alabama on November 15).
Southwest is also adding flights into Chicago Midway International Airport with service from Austin, Dallas, and Houston for the Texas A&M and Notre Dame matchup on September 13 and service from Boise, Idaho, for Boise State versus Notre Dame on October 4.
Finally, the low-cost carrier is flying between Jackson, Mississippi and Las Vegas for the first time for the HBCU Classic featuring Grambling and Jackson State on October 25.
Expanded Autumn Service for NFL Fans
Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (photo by Patrick Clarke)
Southwest is also appealing to NFL fans with 54 additional flights for 24 key matchups this coming season. Seven routes not currently served nonstop that are available on select weekends this fall include the following matchup-based routes: Buffalo-Atlanta, Buffalo-Charlotte, Kansas City-Jacksonville, Kansas City-Buffalo, Milwaukee-Cleveland, New Orleans-Buffalo and Oakland-New Orleans.
The airline is also ramping up its service to Las Vegas this autumn, with added frequencies from Chicago (Midway) for the Raiders-Bears clash on September 28, Nashville for the game between the Tennessee Titans and Raiders on October 12, Dallas (Love Field) and El Paso for the Cowboys-Raiders showdown on November 17, Cleveland for the Browns-Raiders game on November 23 and Denver for the divisional meeting between the Broncos and Raiders on December 7.
Added Service for Other Seasonal Events
Southwest isn't only adding new flights for football, though. Customers can also choose from more than 50 flights to five events across the U.S.
The carrier has added extra flights to the Texas state capital for both weekends of the Austin City Limits Music Festival (October 3-5 and October 10-12) and Formula 1's US Grand Prix (October 18-19).
Other events with extra flights include the Lost Lands Festival in Columbus, Ohio (September 19-21), the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (October 4-5 and October 11-12), and the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas (December 4-7 and December 11-13).
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