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Southwest Airlines has been undergoing massive changes this year and just about everything that people liked about the airline is no more. Free bags? Credits that don’t expire? Open seating? All of that has gone or is about to be a memory. The airline even made its first mass layoffs this year. Now, it looks like the carrier could be gearing up for more news. This time it could be flights to Europe, Asia, South America, or Africa.
The airline applied for Department of Transportation (DOT) permission to serve any country that is part of the Open Skies agreements with the United States. Open Skies Agreements are treaties between countries. These allow airlines to operate more freely on international routes, promote competition, and increase choice for consumers. While filing this does not mean that Southwest has anything definitively planned, it points to the airline thinking about something international in the future.
Last year, Southwest announced its first partnership with an international airline. Icelandair and Southwest Airlines signed a strategic partnership agreement back in September 2024.
Icelandair and Southwest are partnering through Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). The two airlines also partner in Denver International Airport (DEN) and Nashville International Airport (BNA). European passengers coming to the United States have access to flights across the country and a seamless travel experience is coming soon. This could be phase one of a larger plan. Southwest currently flies to Mexico and the Caribbean. It would need to invest in different aircraft if it were to make the jump to further flung destinations.
Anthony’s Take: Southwest applied for DOT permission to fly anywhere where the Open Skies agreements with the United States are active. The airline might be planning something soon, this could be a long way off, or it might be nothing at all. I’ll be watching to see if the other shoe drops and will report back.
(Image Credits: Southwest and Icelandair.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
1 comment
Let’s start with Canada and go from there 🙂