Southwest Is Making Its Way to Europe Thanks to This New Partnership — What to Know

26.09.2024 - 17:33 / travelandleisure.com / Nils Bogason

A popular low-cost air airline is expanding globally. 

Southwest Airlines recently announced a partnership to offer international flights by partnering with carriers who operate international fights in Southwest markets.

“Southwest is formalizing partnerships with international carriers to expand its network and connect Customers with more global destinations to generate additional demand for travel across the Southwest network,” Southwest shared in a news release.

The launch of this new international flight program will take place in 2025, with Icelandair as the first partner airline, and will depart from the Baltimore, MD (BWI) airport. There, travelers can fly on Icelandair to Iceland, where they can connect to a variety of European destinations including Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, Oslo, Prague, Rome, and more.

Icelandair is a discount carrier that operates international flights, and similar to Southwest, does not have a first or business class section on their aircraft. 

“The partnership will unlock many exciting travel options for our customers, and our extensive network in Europe will open for Southwest customers,” Icelandair President and CEO Bogi Nils Bogason said in a statement.  “As part of our strategic focus on expanding our global partnership network, we seek out airlines known for exceptional service and connectivity.”

As an example, a traveler would start their journey on Southwest from Nashville to Baltimore, and then continue on Icelandair from Baltimore to Iceland.

The arrangement is similar to other airline alliances such as Star Alliance, or SkyTeam, although smaller. 

Southwest added that the airline anticipates adding a second international partner, in a similar arrangement to Icelandair, within the next year. 

The news comes from Southwest’s Investor Day, where the Dallas,TX-based carrier is updating its message to the financial community about new ways the airline will move towards profitability. Other changes include identifying $500 million in cost savings, assigned seating, premium seating, and an updated boarding process.