Southwest Airlines Adding New Flights for 2021

Southwest Airlines announced plans to add service to three new airports in 2021.

Southwest CEO Gary Kelly revealed the carrier would begin serving Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Eugene, Oregon; and Bellingham, Washington; starting later this year.

The airline’s service to Myrtle Beach is scheduled to begin in time for summer vacations, including travelers looking to take advantage of the destination’s world-renowned golf courses and Southwest’s “golf bags fly free” program.

As for the flights to Eugene—located around two hours south of Portland—they are scheduled to debut during the second half of 2021. Kelly said the carrier “can make a real difference for local travelers.”

“I’m pleased to share with you all that today we’re announcing our intention to serve three more destinations and continue our focus on putting our aircraft to work to pursue more customers and much-needed revenue,” Kelly said.

“That’s a lot of work, a lot of new destinations, and a lot of options for our customers and so I want to thank all of the teams that have a hand in continuing to grow the Heart of Southwest while better positioning us to capture more customers as the travel demand rebounds,” Kelly continued.

Southwest’s new flights to Bellingham are also scheduled to launch later this year and will position the airline just south of metro Vancouver, British Colombia. When the Canadian border reopens to international travel, the new destination should become a popular hub.

With the newly announced destinations, the carrier has now added 17 airports since the pandemic began and continues to expand service that is thriving despite ongoing travel restrictions, including Steamboat Springs and Telluride.