Southwest Airlines extends schedule, adds new seasonal routes

Southwest Airlines announced the addition of two weekend-only seasonal routes to its schedule. It also confirmed the return of seven seasonal routes that will resume in August.

The new nonstop options will connect the Texas airports of Dallas Love Field and Corpus Christi as well as Richmond, Virginia, and Tampa, Florida.

The new services were announced Thursday as Southwest extended its booking schedule through Oct. 1.

The low-cost carrier frequently reveals new or dropped routes during its regular schedule updates. But the update revealed Thursday was uncharacteristically quiet. No routes were discontinued, though some seasonal routes are ending and are expected to resume next year.

As for the additions, none featured daily or year-round schedules.

The Dallas-Corpus Christi route will begin Aug. 10. Southwest will offer one daily round-trip flight between the cities each Saturday. Southwest last flew the route nonstop in 1986, according to spokesman Dan Landson. The Tampa-Richmond flights will start the same date and will operate on both Saturdays and Sundays. Both routes will be seasonal, continuing into Southwest’s winter schedule.

Southwest also confirmed the return of seven seasonal, Saturday-only routes. All of the routes included in Thursday's announcement will continue into either the fall or winter schedules, depending on the route.

The full schedule details are below:

Dallas Love-Corpus Christi, Texas

Begins Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Richmond, Virginia-Tampa, Florida

Begins Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday and Sunday. Seasonal.

Hartford, Connecticut-Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Buffalo, New York-Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Boise, Idaho- Chicago Midway

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Newark, New Jersey-Orlando, Florida

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Richmond, Virginia-Orlando, Florida

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Milwaukee-Seattle

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday. Seasonal.

Des Moines, Iowa-Phoenix

Returns Aug. 10. One daily round-trip flight each Saturday and Sunday. Seasonal.
 

(Ben Mutzabaugh - USA TODAY)