Southwest Adds Knoxville, Tennessee, to Its Route Map and Expands Service From Other Cities

Updated: August 14, 2025, 12:08pm CDT

Edited by:

Jump to Section

Table of Contents

Southwest Adds Knoxville to Its Network
More San Diego Service
More Frequencies in Chicago and Dallas
Final Thoughts

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Southwest Airlines continues its network expansion by adding another new city to its route map: Knoxville, Tennessee (TYS).

Starting next year, the carrier will offer nonstop service from Knoxville to 4 destinations nationwide.

But Knoxville isn’t the only news from Southwest. Tahe carrier will also expand service from several other key airports in its network. Let’s take a look at the details.

Southwest Adds Knoxville to Its Network

Starting March 5, 2026, Southwest will begin flying from Knoxville, Tennessee (TYS), with flights to 4 destinations:

The carrier will offer 2 daily flights to Nashville and 1 daily flight to the other destinations.

“The addition of Southwest Airlines to our airport is an historic milestone for our community,” said Howard Vogel, chairman of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority’s Board of Commissioners. “After years of dedicated pursuit, their arrival at McGhee Tyson Airport represents far more than new flights — it’s another gateway to national connectivity and a powerful boost to our region’s tourism industry.”

Knoxville is Southwest’s second all-new destination announced this summer, following St. Thomas (STT) in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The carrier also revealed in a press release that it will unveil another new destination before the end of the month.

More San Diego Service

San Diego International Airport (SAN) is opening a brand-new Terminal 1 next month, and Southwest is poised to grow out of its new home at the Southern California airport.

Beginning March 5, 2026, Southwest will fly daily between San Diego and Eugene, Oregon (EUG); Maui (OGG); Portland, Oregon (PDX); Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (PVR); and Seattle (SEA).

Beach in Maui — Southwest will fly from San Diego to Maui next year. Image Credit: Ryan Smith

It’s also beefing up its Spring Break offerings from San Diego, with new Saturday service set to commence on March 7, 2026, to Bozeman, Montana (BZN), and Spokane, Washington (GEG). These new destinations complement existing service to Albuquerque (ABQ), Boise (BOI), Denver (DEN), Reno (RNO), and Salt Lake City (SLC).

More Frequencies in Chicago and Dallas

Southwest is also resuming and adding new routes from its bases in Chicago Midway (MDW) and Dallas Love Field. Starting March 5, 2026, the airline is adding twice-daily service from Chicago to Milwaukee (MKE), Phoenix (PHX), Tucson (TUS), Little Rock (LIT), and Nashville.

Also on March 5, 2026, twice-daily service will return on routes from Chicago to Des Moines (DSM), Tulsa (TUL), and Wichita (ICT). Finally, the route between Dallas and Oklahoma City (OKC) will move to twice-daily service on the same date.

Hot Tip:

Learn all there is to know about the Southwest Rapid Rewards program in our complete guide.

Final Thoughts

Southwest has added another new city to its route map in Knoxville and is adding new routes and bolstering service from other important bases across its network. Next March is set to be a busy month for the airline, and we’re looking forward to seeing even more network additions from the carrier soon.