US-based Southwest Airlines is considering expanding its international footprint, having opened discussions with pilots and flight crew unions.
The airline has filed with the US Department of Transportation for approval to fly to any country with which the US has an Open Skies aviation agreement, travel news hub Skift reported,
If Southwest were to expand its international routes, that would take a change of federal law to add international routes at Dallas Love Field, the airport where the carrier is headquartered.
The carrier operates an overwhelming majority of the airport’s 20 gates.
The airport, the 32nd-busiest in the country, saw 16.9 million passengers in 2024 and officials said it could grow to 23 million passengers by the end of the decade.
The carrier said in a statement that it is exploring what new international destinations it could serve with its Boeing 737 fleet.
An international expansion would be one of the many changes Southwest has made in the past year to its business model, which include introducing premium seats, adding baggage fees, and partnering with online travel agencies.
The airline currently serves the US, Mexico and the Caribbean.
“Southwest Airlines is continuing to consider ways to grow our business as we evolve to meet the needs of our current and future customers,” said Southwest Airlines spokesman Chris Perry.
Southwest operates three types of 737 narrow-body aircraft: the 700 model, 800 model and MAX 8 model. Southwest’s longest route is currently Phoenix, Arizona., to Honolulu, Hawaii.
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