Southwest announces new route to US Virgin Islands starting early 2026

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Global Industry News

Southwest announces new route to US Virgin Islands starting early 2026

Research

Ellie Nan Storck Managing editor | The Points Guy

By Sky Industry News

Jul 14, 2025

Southwest Airlines is set to expand its Caribbean presence by launching nonstop flights to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, marking its first new destination since 2021. The Dallas-based airline announced this development on Monday, with flights expected to commence in early 2026.

Southwest's addition of St. Thomas as a destination is significant, as it represents the airline's first new territory in several years. Previously, Southwest added Syracuse Hancock International Airport in upstate New York during the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2021 but later exited from Syracuse.

The airline plans to introduce three new cities, including St. Thomas, though details about the other two locations remain undisclosed. Southwest has not yet revealed which cities will serve St. Thomas' Cyrus E. King International Airport.

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"We want to make Southwest Airlines the easy and obvious choice every time, and this is another meaningful step in our ongoing transformation," said Southwest CEO Bob Jordan.

Currently, several major U.S. airlines operate flights to and from St. Thomas, with American Airlines having the largest presence according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.

The U.S Virgin Islands offer a popular travel destination with warm weather and beaches without requiring a passport for entry unless traveling to nearby British Virgin Islands.