USA —After adding some new routes that appealed to skiers last winter, Southwest is continuing its growth. However, new fees and hurdles greet travelers.
Last week, Southwest Airlines announced its new routes for the winter of 2025-26. For most aviation fans, the noteworthy development is that they’re coming to Knoxville. Five daily flights are being added from Knoxville’s airport, with the destinations that are directly accessible from there being Baltimore, Dallas, Nashville, and Orlando.
For skiers, the market that will benefit the most from these additions is San Diego. With the opening of the new Terminal 1 later this year, Southwest is adding more routes from San Diego. This includes Eugene, Oregon; Maui, Hawaii; Portland, Oregon; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and Seattle, Washington. A few of those aforementioned airports, like Eugene, Portland, and Seattle, offer convenient access to ski resorts. Starting on March 7, 2026, Southwest will be adding Saturday flights to the ski destinations of Bozeman and Spokane. Southwest already has flights to ski destinations like Albuquerque, Boise, Denver, Reno, and Salt Lake City from San Diego.
However, Southwest is also cutting routes starting in March 2026. According to The Points Guy, among the most affected airports is Denver International Airport, which is a major hub for various ski destinations. Another noteworthy loss is from the flight from Burbank Airport to Salt Lake City International Airport.
In addition, Southwest has recently made some changes that have added more costs for flyers. The first is baggage fees. Most guests now pay $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second bag. Choose Your Own Seating will conclude in early 2026, with pre-select seating being added to the guest experience starting on January 27, 2026. The details on the seat selection are not yet fully clear, but getting the nicest seats may be an add-on charge depending on what fare you bought.
These changes mean that what was once a top airline for skiers and riders is now not so different from other US airlines.
Image Credits: Daniel Shapiro, Southwest Airlines, Lukas Souza
