Southwest Enters Its Leisure Era
Southwest has been expanding its route map, adding new markets and entering its leisure era. The airline has added 62 new airports since 2012, with 50 still in operation today.
These additions can be broken down into six distinct eras, starting with the acquisition of AirTran in 2011. This move allowed Southwest to eliminate a low-cost competitor and expand its domestic reach into smaller cities.
- 2011: Southwest bought AirTran, adding new domestic cities to its route map.
- 2012-2019: Southwest added 62 new airports, with 50 remaining in operation.
Maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper – copyright © Karl L. Swartz.
Author's summary: Southwest expands into leisure era with new routes.