{"id":143184,"date":"2026-05-20T22:08:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T16:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=143184"},"modified":"2026-05-20T01:19:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T19:49:38","slug":"southwest-airlines-will-no-longer-fly-on-these-11-international-routes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/20\/southwest-airlines-will-no-longer-fly-on-these-11-international-routes\/","title":{"rendered":"Southwest Airlines Will No Longer Fly on These 11 International Routes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DALLAS-<\/strong> Southwest Airlines (WN)<\/a> has removed 11 international routes from its network as it reshapes its overseas flying for the second half of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dallas-based carrier is also leaving Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and consolidating its Chicago operations at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cuts affect markets across Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rica, including links to Cancun International Airport (CUN) and Los Cabos International Airport (SJD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Simple Flying<\/a>, the changes follow weak load factors on several routes and the apparent effect of a hurricane on Jamaican tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Southwest
Photo: ur-1988 | Credits to Creator<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Southwest Cuts 11 International Routes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Southwest operated its first international flight nearly 12 years ago, in July 2014. US Department of Transportation (DOT)<\/a> data shows the airline has carried close to 40 million international passengers since then. That traffic represented just 2% of the evolving carrier’s total volume over the period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cirium Diio data was used to study Southwest’s full international network between January 2025 and May 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That schedule was then compared with what is available from June 2026 through the end of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The comparison made it possible to identify where the airline is adding flights, cutting capacity, opening routes, and eliminating markets entirely. In total, 11 international routes leave the network across this window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four of the eliminated routes connected Baltimore, Chicago, and Colorado Springs to leisure destinations in Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baltimore to Los Cabos operated from June 2015 until April 2026. Chicago Midway (MDW) to Los Cabos ran from November 2018 to April 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Cancun (CUN) flew from November 2021 to April 2026. Colorado Springs (COS) to Cancun operated only briefly, from June 2025 to April 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cancun, the ever-popular Mexican resort destination, was Colorado Springs’ first international market. The route recorded the fourth-lowest load factor across Southwest’s entire network, which made it a clear candidate for removal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Southwest pulls out of O’Hare<\/a> in June and will concentrate its Chicago presence at Midway, the airline’s fourth most-served airport by departures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O’Hare has been part of the network since 2021, with 13 routes operated from the airport. Only the Cancun service was international.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DOT shows the ORD-CUN load factor fell during 2025, with 83.4% of seats filled. That figure was the lowest level recorded on the route in four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Southwest
Photo: Cl\u00e9ment Alloing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Seven More International Routes Disappear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seven additional international markets were eliminated when comparing the two schedules. A notable twist is that several of these carried very few flights and appeared to operate mainly around spring break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The removed routes are Fort Lauderdale to Montego Bay (MBJ), served from June 2017 to November 2025; Indianapolis to Los Cabos, a weekly flight in March and April 2026; and Kansas City to Montego Bay, operated from October 2023 to April 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would be easy to conclude that the impact of the hurricane in Jamaica affected services to Montego Bay, a destination that normally draws strong inbound tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remaining cuts are Milwaukee to Cancun (August 2014 to April 2026), Nashville to Montego Bay (a weekly service in March and April 2026), Nashville to San Jos\u00e9 in Costa Rica (a weekly flight in March and April 2026), and St. Louis to Puerto Vallarta (only two departures in March 2026).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is possible, but not yet confirmed, that some of these time-limited, Saturday-only markets may return in a similar pattern in 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: Southwest Airlines <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

65 International Routes For Q3 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Narrowing the focus to Q3 2026, which covers July through September, Southwest’s latest schedule submission to Cirium indicates an average of 40 daily international departures during the period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operations will vary sharply by day. Tuesdays and Wednesdays will be the quietest, with as few as 22 outbound flights. Saturdays will be the busiest, reaching as many as 87 departures, a pattern driven by the airline’s many Saturday-only routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In total, Southwest has scheduled 65 international routes for Q3, a figure that includes a smattering of links with only a few flights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The routes run from 21 US airports, with Atlanta<\/a> being the least served. Only four departures are planned from Atlanta to Cancun, on July 11, 18, 25, and August 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Orlando
Orlando International Airport Terminal C. Photo: HNTB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Busiest US Airports For International Flying<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The third quarter schedule concentrates international activity at a small group of large Southwest bases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leading airports by international departures for Q3 2026 are listed below. Figures count one-way departures and double when accounting for return flights, which shows the clear impact of Saturday flying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n