Southwest Adds Four New Nonstop Routes From Austin Starting October, Including Memphis and Seasonal Destinations
New service expands Austin network as airport growth and airline competition continue
Southwest Airlines plans to add four new nonstop routes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport beginning in early October, increasing the carrier’s footprint at the region’s largest commercial airport and adding two first-time nonstop markets for Austin.
Year-round nonstop service between Austin and Memphis is scheduled to start on Oct. 1, operating six days a week. Three additional routes—seasonal nonstop service to Destin, Florida; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Santa Rosa, California—are scheduled to begin on Oct. 3.
How the new routes fit into Austin’s current air service map
Memphis: The Austin–Memphis market already has nonstop service on Delta Air Lines. Southwest’s entry adds another option for travelers on a route with established demand.
Knoxville: Allegiant Air already operates nonstop flights between Austin and Knoxville, meaning Southwest’s seasonal service will compete directly in that city-pair.
Destin and Santa Rosa: Both are new nonstop destinations for Austin, expanding the airport’s leisure-oriented offerings. Destin service has been a focus area for carriers, with prior plans by another airline to start Austin–Destin flights later revised in favor of a different destination.
Expansion alongside other Southwest growth steps at AUS
The October routes are not isolated additions. Southwest has previously outlined multiple schedule changes and new services tied to Austin, including route launches and frequency increases slated for spring and early summer in other planning cycles. Together, those moves point to a strategy of building both breadth (new destinations) and utility (more frequency on existing routes) from Central Texas.
Southwest has framed its Austin additions as part of a broader effort to add service in markets where it already has a strong presence, while emphasizing reliability and customer service.
What this means for passengers—and for the airport
For travelers, new nonstop flights can reduce total trip time compared with connecting itineraries and may add schedule flexibility when multiple airlines serve the same city-pair. The Memphis route, in particular, introduces head-to-head competition on a year-round basis, while the three seasonal routes broaden fall and holiday-period travel options.
The timing also intersects with Austin-Bergstrom’s longer-term capacity plans. The airport is advancing a multi-year expansion program that includes a future 26-gate Concourse B, where Southwest is positioned as an anchor tenant. Southwest has also remained the airport’s largest carrier by passenger volume, accounting for about 41% of Austin’s passenger traffic in 2025—an outsized share in a market that has also seen aggressive growth from competing airlines.
As October approaches, the practical impact will hinge on final schedules, day-of-week patterns, and fare levels, as well as how rival carriers respond in overlapping markets.