Southwest Airlines extends gift of travel with new and returning routes

Airlines brace for bumpy holiday travel season amid labor shortage

The airline industry raises concerns over ramping up flight schedules to meet the demand. FOX Business’ Grady Trimble with more. 

Southwest Airlines is extending its bookable flight schedule to summer 2022 just in time for the holiday season.

The American airline said its customer base is being given the option to "purchase the gift of travel and an early summer vacation," starting on Wednesday, Dec. 8. The schedule will run through June 4, 2022, according to Southwest’s press release.

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Southwest Airlines is extending its bookable flight schedule to summer 2022 just in time for the holiday season. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New and returning flight routes will be introduced in February and April with nonstop service to popular vacation destinations. Here’s the list Southwest will be working with:

Southwest’s resumed flight service starting on Feb. 17, 2022

• Fort Lauderdale and Havana (daily service)

Southwest’s new flight service starting on April 25, 2022

• Austin and Tulsa, Okla. (One daily roundtrip)
• San Antonio and Oklahoma City (One roundtrip Sunday to Monday and Thursday to Friday)
• Syracuse, N.Y. and Tampa (One roundtrip on Saturday)

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Southwest Airlines said its customer base is being given the option to “purchase the gift of travel and an early summer vacation,” starting on Wednesday, Dec. 8. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Southwest’s resumed flight service starting on April 25, 2022

• San Antonio and Los Angeles (One daily roundtrip)
• Dallas (Love Field) and Louisville, Ky. (One roundtrip Sunday to Friday)
• Houston (Hobby) and Milwaukee (One roundtrip Sunday to Friday)
• Nashville and San Jose, Calif. (One roundtrip Sunday to Monday and Thursday to Friday)

Southwest’s resumed Saturday flight service starting on April 30, 2022

• Dallas (Love Field) and Myrtle Beach, S.C.
• Dallas (Love Field) and Norfolk, Va.
• Kansas City, Mo. and Myrtle Beach, S.C.
• Kansas City, Mo. and Pensacola, Fla.
• Kansas City, Mo. and Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
• Nashville and Seattle
• Pittsburgh and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

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Southwest Airlines’ schedule will run through June 4, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The airline industry has seen an increase in travelers following the distribution of coronavirus vaccines.

Since March 11, 2021, more than one million people have been screened through TSA security checkpoints throughout the country each day.

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While interest in traveling the world has resumed, airports and airlines have been struggling to staff crew due to pandemic-related labor shortages. This includes pilots, flight attendants, TSA officers and more.

A recent travel survey from The Vacationer estimated that 122 million Americans will journey throughout the U.S. for Christmas gatherings.

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