Between Southwest’s lightning-speed boarding process and its new checked bag tracking feature, the low-cost carrier is a preferred airline among U.S. travelers. But as with any carrier, Southwest has its cons, such as the lack of overnight flights for example. Those who don’t consider themselves members of the Southwest fan club just yet may have a change of heart following CEO Bob Jordan’s major announcement, however.
In an interview published Nov. 6 with The Dallas Morning News, Jordan revealed that Southwest will be adding red-eye flights to its rotation of offerings in the near future.
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The exciting news means that flying transcontinental—like Los Angeles to New York—will be easier and more time efficient, Jordan noted. Passengers will no longer have to worry about tight layovers, or whether they have to spend the night at the airport to make an early connecting flight.
“It’s a logical evolution for us,” Jordan told The Dallas Morning News. “We have the aircraft, it’s a great way to use an asset that you already have and use it more productively which means more hours in the day. So, we will be doing redeyes."
Jordan’s announcement comes ahead of the holiday season, when many passengers will be embarking on transcontinental and transatlantic flights. Unfortunately, however, it looks like Southwest’s red-eye flight schedule won’t be ready by Christmas, as negotiations are expected to continue into 2024.
In addition to implementing red-eye flights, Southwest is looking to expand its presence at Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW), The Dallas Morning Newspreviously reported. This would be a game-changer for people traveling through Dallas, as Southwest exclusively operates out of Dallas Love Field Airport currently. All of that could change by 2025 when the Wright Amendment expires, allowing Southwest to operate out of both airports.
It’s an exciting time for Southwest customers. Travelers can hope that Southwest will have red-eye flights by next summer when vacationing is at its peak—or at least by the 2024 holiday season, per Jordan's remarks.
