Image this: It is the center of winter, and you’ve got simply boarded a two- or three-hour flight to the Caribbean — and you do not even want a passport.
That may quickly be the truth for 2 U.S. cities which can be set to get brand-new Southwest Airways flights to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Beginning in February, Southwest will fly nonstop to St. Thomas’ Cyril E. King Airport (STT) from two of its busiest East Coast bases: Baltimore/Washington Worldwide Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO).
Southwest’s new Orlando-St. Thomas service is first up, launching on Feb. 5. The brand new flight will make St. Thomas the primary new vacation spot for the Dallas-based service in virtually 5 years; it’s important to return to its 2021 Syracuse, New York, service (later canceled) to seek out the final time Southwest launched a brand new metropolis.
And with all due respect to Syracuse, St. Thomas is a much more alluring mid-winter vacation spot — one which boasts an array of resorts you can e book utilizing factors.
Marriott breathes new life right into a beloved Caribbean resort: A evaluate of The Westin Seaside Resort & Spa at Frenchman’s Reef
Southwest’s 2 new St. Thomas flights
Southwest’s flights between Orlando and St. Thomas will run each day all yr lengthy.
The BWI flights to the USVI will launch on Feb. 7.
St. Thomas is not the top of Southwest’s enlargement. Earlier this month, TPG reported the service had plans to announce two extra all-new cities because it begins increasing its route community, once more, after uncharacteristic cuts final yr. No phrase but, nevertheless, on what or when these different two cities is perhaps introduced.
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Southwest assigned seats now on the market
The announcement of BWI and MCO flights to St. Thomas got here on the identical day Southwest began promoting assigned seats for the primary time, on Tuesday. These seat assignments (together with its brand-new further legroom seats) will apply to bookings produced from Jan. 27, 2026 onward — together with these new Caribbean routes.
Be mindful, Southwest’s fundamental fares don’t include complimentary seat choice, until you will have Speedy Rewards elite standing or carry certainly one of its cobranded bank cards.
Learn extra: 1 in 4 Southwest planes now have extra-legroom seats — Here is the right way to snag one
Southwest’s new Selection fare comes with commonplace seat choice. Selection Most well-liked offers you entry to a traditional seat nearer to the entrance of the aircraft. Selection Further will get you entry to the additional legroom seats (to not point out two free checked baggage).
Be mindful, all Southwest bank cards now include some type of seat choice (even on fundamental fares) and a free checked bag for the first cardholder and as much as eight companions flying on the identical reservation.
Learn extra: Southwest unveils large bank card refresh: 50% charge hikes, however new seating and boarding perks
Seaside, heat climate and ski locations spotlight returning winter routes
Past saying two new St. Thomas routes, Southwest opened up its schedule for reserving by means of March 4, 2026, and confirmed the (anticipated) return of 24 seasonal routes, efficient Jan. 27.
These embody:
- Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) to Cancun worldwide Airport (CUN)
- Chicago O’Hare to Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN)
- Chicago O’Hare to Fort Myers’ Southwest Florida Worldwide Airport (RSW)
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Worldwide Airport (FLL) to Windfall’s TF Inexperienced Worldwide Airport (PVD)
- Albany Worldwide Airport (ALB) to Fort Myers
- Albany to Sarasota Bradenton Worldwide Airport (SRQ)
- Austin Bergstrom Worldwide Airport (AUS) to San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Luis Munoz Worldwide Airport (SJU)
- Hartford’s Bradley Worldwide Airport (BDL) to Fort Myers
- Nashville Worldwide Airport (BNA) to Colorado’s Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN)
- Nashville to Punta Cana Worldwide Airport (PUJ)
- Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS) to Orlando
- Buffalo Niagra Internatinal Airport (BUF) to Palm Seaside Worldwide Airport (PBI)
- BWI to Providenciales Worldwide Airport (PLS) in Turks and Caicos
- Dallas Love Area (DAL) to Palm Springs Worldwide Airport (PSP)
- Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport (DTW) to Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX)
- Lengthy Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) to Fort Lauderdale
- Houston Pastime Airport (HOU) to Sangster Worldwide Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Houston Pastime to Sarasota
- New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Tampa Worldwide Airport (TPA)
- Portland Worldwide Jetport (PWM) in Maine to Orlando
- Salt Lake Metropolis Worldwide Airport (SLC) to Orlando
- Tulsa Worldwide Airport (TUL) to Orlando
- Chicago’s Halfway Airport (MDW) to Palm Springs
- Milwaukee Mitchell Worldwide Airport (MKE) to Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA)
- Windfall to West Palm Seaside
- Frederick Douglass Higher Rochester Worldwide Airport (ROC) to Fort Myers
- Louisville Worldwide Airport (SDF) to Fort Myers
Many of those routes will function with less-than-daily service to prime warm-weather, seaside (and snowboarding) locations in the course of the chilly winter months.
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