Southwest Airlines Announces New Partnership With Germany’s Condor

When you think of Southwest Airlines, you don’t usually picture Iceland or Taiwan, but that perception is changing fast. In a push for global reach, Southwest continues to add international airline partnerships on top of its domestic-heavy network. The latest addition: a surprise transatlantic tie-up with Germany’s Condor.

What does this mean for travelers? Let’s take a closer look.

Southwest Airlines’ New Partnership With Condor

Southwest Airlines flyers can now make a single reservation combining a U.S. domestic flight on Southwest with a long-haul leg on Condor crossing the Atlantic. The airlines will link at 7 different U.S. gateways — Boston (BOS), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), and Seattle (SEA) — enabling seamless travel from dozens of U.S. cities to nearly 70 Condor destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

The partnership was announced on December 2, 2025.

Sales are live now, and travel begins with flights operating from January 19, 2026.

For travelers, this opens up new routes without the need to juggle separate bookings. Imagine flying from your hometown to Seattle on Southwest, then hopping on a direct long-haul flight to Frankfurt (FRA) with Condor — all on a single ticket. That means your checked luggage will go directly to your final destination, and you won’t have to collect it, re-check in, and pass through security again in Seattle. This saves headaches and mitigates problems during your trip.

For U.S. travelers, this also means greater access to Europe, parts of Africa, and other destinations previously outside Southwest’s orbit.

Southwest’s Growing List of International Partners

As of today, Southwest’s “global network” counts 5 overseas partners. The Condor announcement extends that.

Rather than flying its own planes to Asia and Europe, Southwest is focusing on partnerships to take its passengers to new places.

Earlier in 2025, Southwest debuted its first-ever international partner: Icelandair. That partnership went live in February, offering 1-stop itineraries from U.S. cities through gateway airports like Baltimore (BWI), Denver (DEN), and Nashville (BNA) onward to Iceland or even further into Europe. Importantly, if part of your trip is flown on Southwest, you can earn Rapid Rewards points, status-qualifying points, and even Companion Pass credit (assuming you attach your rewards number before travel).

Southwest’s Asia ambitions have also begun to take shape. The carrier signed an interline agreement with China Airlines in mid-2025, enabling seamless bookings between the U.S. and Taiwan (via West Coast hubs. Under that agreement, which is similar to the Condor deal, combined itineraries are now bookable, and the first flights are scheduled to start on January 19, 2026.

In a surprising move, Southwest announced another partnership with a Taiwanese carrier, EVA Air. This will function through 4 U.S. gateways. Those partnerships are in addition to a tie-up with Philippine Airlines.

Final Thoughts

Southwest’s partnership with Condor is part of Southwest’s broader strategy to shed its purely domestic reputation. With Icelandair, EVA Air, and China Airlines already in the mix, the map of your next possible journey just got a lot bigger by adding an airline headquartered in the center of Europe.