Southwest Airlines is extending its flight schedule into early next summer and introducing new destinations from its Nashville hub. The airline, which usually releases its schedule eight months in advance, has just released its booking calendar through June 4, 2025, announced Wednesday. With the schedule update, the carrier has announced several key updates across its network. For starters, the carrier will expand significantly out of Nashville International Airport (BNA), which has been one of Southwest's fastest-growing hubs and newest crew bases. Starting April 8, 2025, the carrier will begin daily service from Nashville to Albuquerque, Jackson, and Tulsa; as well as up to 6x weekly flights to Providence and up to 5x weekly flights to Albany. In addition, the airline will offer “intra-Tennessee service for the first time” with its brand-new, once-daily service from Nashville to Memphis. “The new flights will boost Southwest’s scheduled presence in Nashville to an all-time high of 174 Sunday departures in April and May 2025,” the airline wrote in a statement. The new route announcement comes as the airline is undergoing notable changes, as Southwest will introduce its first-ever overnight flights to its network next February. With today’s announcement, the airline shared a few more routes that will see redeye service — flights from Honolulu to Las Vegas and Phoenix, Kona to Las Vegas, and Maui to Las Vegas and Phoenix will be offered as red-eyes starting April 8, 2025.
Airbnb's Growth Strategy, Las Vegas' Sports Tourism and Dubai's Rebrand
19.09.2024 - 11:07 / skift.com / Brian Chesky / Rashaad Jorden / Issam Kazim
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, September 19, 2024, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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Airbnb aims to focus on a lot more than short-term rentals. The company has plans to consistently launch new lines of business going forward, including those that may not be geared toward travel, writes Travel Technology Reporter Justin Dawes.
CEO Brian Chesky said at the Skift Global Forum on Wednesday he anticipates launching two or three ventures annually that could eventually generate a billion dollars a year in revenue. He acknowledged not all of those ventures will be successful, but added now is the right time for the company to grow beyond the core business.
Chesky also said that stays between 30 and 90 days could represent a huge area of growth for Airbnb, noting that online travel agencies wouldn’t likely provide travelers that opportunity.
Next, Las Vegas officials believe the city needs to host more big sporting events to help maintain tourism growth, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.
Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said at the Skift Global Forum the city aims to have a marquee event in the first or second quarter of each year in addition to the annual Formula 1 race. Las Vegas hosted the Super Bowl this February, which generated $1 billion in incremental economic impact.
Sandra Douglass Morgan, president of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, said the city wouldn’t be the same if it stopped hosting large sporting events. Las Vegas is scheduled to host Wrestlemania and the College Football Playoff National Championship next year.
Finally, Dubai is synonymous with luxury tourism. But the city is looking to rely less on its famous landmarks and celebrity campaigns in favor of what it considers a more authentic tourism experience, writes Middle East Reporter Josh Corder.
Dubai Tourism CEO Issam Kazim said the city needed landmark projects and luxury hotels to attract tourists in the beginning. But he said Dubai Tourism is working to showcase the city’s residents and hidden gems, citing its arts and culture.
10 Things We Learned at the Skift Global Forum
20 CEOs. 35 sessions in all. The Skift Global Forum ran from September 17 – 19 with loads of insights into the future of travel. We heard from the biggest hotel operators, OTAs, tourism boards and other leaders of the industry.
Spirit Airlines’ Fall Sale Is Here — and You Can Fly Cross-country for as Low as $40
Spirit Airlines is embracing fall with a great sale that has one-way flights starting as low as $40.
This Semi-private Carrier Is Adding a New Way to Get to Las Vegas
Semi-private air carrier JSX is launching a new route to Las Vegas, making it easier to connect to Sin City for the fall.
This Rewards Program Now Offers Unbelievable Vegas Experiences — Including Your Own Bellagio Fountain Show
If you’ve been to Las Vegas, you know that the city is known for its over-the-top experiences around every corner. From hotels, dining, live entertainment, and more, it often feels like magic is woven Into the city's fabric.
Expedia's Evolution, JetBlue's Challenges and Dubai’s Sphere
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, September 20, and here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Dubai Sphere Plans Revealed by MGM Resorts CEO
Another ‘Sphere’ is landing on Earth, this time in Dubai. MGM Resorts is building its own “Dubai Sphere”, promised by CEO and president Bill Hornbuckle to be “equally compelling as the Las Vegas Sphere.”
The Future of Marriott? Experiences and Loyalty, Says CEO
Marriott says its loyalty program Bonvoy crossed 210 million members this August but for group CEO and president Anthony Capuano, the platform is just getting started. Capuano sees Bonvoy as moving away from a “transactional system” towards more of an “emotional” one, where members use Bonvoy for room upgrades, free cups of coffee, and even walks down the red carpet at the Emmys.
Dubai Tourism Rebranding From Luxury Travel to 'Real Culture'
Dubai boasts of the world’s tallest building, the world’s largest mall, and the only “unofficial” seven-star hotel. Four decades after embracing tourism, Dubai wants to hone in on the “real” aspects of the city and its hidden gems.
Las Vegas Tourism Post-Super Bowl: ‘Stakes are Higher’
Las Vegas needs to host more sporting events just as large as the Super Bowl if it wants to keep up its growth in tourism.
U.S. to Allow Alaska-Hawaiian Merger to Proceed
The Department of Transportation said Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines can proceed with their $1.9 billion merger after it secured a set of consumer protections from the two carriers.
American Airlines to Cut These Routes to Las Vegas, Orlando, and More — Here's Why
American Airlines is going back to basics in Austin after experimenting with dozens of new nonstop flights during the pandemic. The carrier will no longer be an option for Austinites eager to visit Bourbon Street in New Orleans after October or soak up the history of Boston’s Freedom Walk after November. Nonstop flights to both cities are among the seven that will end in the next few months. Also gone are American’s nonstops from Austin to Las Vegas and Orlando in October; Nashville and Raleigh-Durham in November; and Orange County, Calif., in January 2025, Cirium Diio schedule data shows. The reductions bring to an end a pandemic experiment for American that peaked at nonstop flights from Austin to more than 45 cities in early 2023. The cuts are part of a “continuous evaluation” of American’s network, an airline spokesperson told Travel + Leisure on Monday. “American will continue to offer customers access to our comprehensive global network of more than 350 destinations with one-stop connections,” the spokesperson added. Other factors include the rapid airline industry growth in Austin during the pandemic and the now slowing travel recovery.