Southwest Airlines Expands Caribbean Reach With New St. Thomas Route Starting In 2026

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Southwest Airlines is to motorboat work to St. Thomas successful nan U.S. Virgin Islands, nan first world summation to its way web since 2021, Guillermo Rodriguez reports. Slated for motorboat successful early 2026, nan work is nan first of 3 world destinations that Southewest plans to denote adjacent year.

Strategic Move into nan Caribbean

This determination represents a awesome strategy alteration for Southwest Airlines. In caller years, nan hose has been concentrating connected home improvements specified arsenic caller types of seats and fares. Now that nan homegrown operations person go firmly ensconced, nan hose is fresh to grow its scope to nan world astatine large.

Cyril E. King Airport: Welcome to nan U.S. Virgin Islands

Near nan superior metropolis of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas’s Cyril E. King Airport (STT) is simply a captious hub for nan U.S. Virgin Islands. The airport, serving 1.6 cardinal passengers successful 2024, is non-stop to respective U.S. cities, and draws visitors because of its easy flying pinch no-passport basal for U.S. citizens. Infrastructure improvements astatine nan airport, specified arsenic taxiway improvements which are funded by nan FAA, will hole nan installation for nan expected influx of activity.

Southwest’s Growing Caribbean Footprint

With nan summation of St. Thomas, Southwest now flies to 9 different Caribbean islands, from celebrated picnic spots specified arsenic Aruba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and nan Dominican Republic. The bearer already possesses a robust way web successful Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belize, truthful this makes consciousness if nan hose is much reliant connected sun-and-plays.

Enhancements and New Travel Experience

Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan cited this world description arsenic a important merchandise of nan airline’s transformation, which is aimed astatine improving customer acquisition and efficiency. Southwest’s much caller enhancements, including premium and assigned seating products, will fresh nicely into this portfolio, providing customers much comfortableness and choices arsenic portion of nan airline’s wide repurposed compartment campaign.

Operational and Economic Implications

The prime to see St. Thomas reflects nan much-larger Southwest’s strategy of targeting vacationers and business travelers alike who want Caribbean getaways but activity to debar nan hassle of world recreation documentation. Local economies successful St. Thomas are besides expected to rev pinch an summation successful tourism arsenic good pinch section officials welcoming nan announcement and looking guardant to nan system being boosted.

Preparing for Launch

With required authorities approvals still pending, tickets for nan caller work to St. Thomas will spell connected waste erstwhile formation schedules are finalized and nan destination is disposable for booking. Although nan nonstop U.S. gateways are still to beryllium determined, Southwest will connection flights to St. Thomas connected its fleet of Boeing 737s.

Additional Destinations Ahead

Southwest Airlines has besides hinted astatine 2 much world destinations by 2026 arsenic nan institution eyes a trajectory for world description . Specifics astir these caller routes should beryllium released soon arsenic nan hose wraps up agreements and moves person to motorboat dates.

Benefits for Travelers

Travelers connected Southwest’s caller way to St. Thomas will have:

• Seamless, hassle-free recreation and nary passport basal for U.S. citizens.
• Southwest’s customer-friendly policies, for illustration Rapid Rewards.
• More comfortableness choices featuring further legroom and premium seating.

Looking Forward

The move by Southwest to alert to St. Thomas will let nan bearer to proceed adding rider options for affordable and enjoyable travel. As nan aerial bearer grows beyond its world borders, customers tin expect moreover greater convenience successful Caribbean travel, amended onboard offerings, and a quality, low-cost flying experience.

(Photo: Southwest Airlines)