Southwest Airlines is becoming the latest carrier to expand service in Florida after the shutdown of Spirit Airlines left gaps in the state’s budget travel market.
The airline announced it is preparing its largest-ever schedule at Orlando International Airport (MCO), with new nonstop routes and expanded service across 17 existing markets. The move follows a wave of airline expansions aimed at filling part of the void left by Spirit Airlines, which had been a major discount carrier in Florida.
As Florida Daily previously reported, Frontier Airlines, Breeze Airways, and Avianca Airlines have all announced new or expanded Florida service since Spirit’s collapse, including added flights involving Orlando, Fort Myers, West Palm Beach, and Tampa.
Southwest’s Orlando expansion includes added frequency on 17 existing routes, with increases scheduled in phases throughout 2026.
Beginning in June, Southwest plans to expand service between Orlando and Austin, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Louisville, Kentucky; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Nashville, Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Additional increases are planned in August for Baltimore, Maryland; New Orleans, Louisiana; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Rochester, New York. In October, Southwest plans to expand Orlando service to Albuquerque, New Mexico; Buffalo, New York; and Memphis, Tennessee. In November, the airline plans to add more service between Orlando and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and San Antonio, Texas.
Southwest said the update will mark its largest Orlando schedule since the airline began service at Orlando International Airport in 1996. The company also said it expects to operate more than 200 daily departures through Orlando in 2027. That would represent a major increase from 2011, when Southwest said it offered 110 daily nonstop flights from Orlando.
The airline framed the Orlando expansion as part of a broader commitment to both Orlando and Las Vegas, two of Southwest’s largest leisure and convention markets. Southwest said it plans to add waves of new flights beginning this spring and continuing through spring 2027, strengthening its position in both cities.
“Las Vegas and Orlando are foundational communities in our network, and places where Southwest long has offered the most service, seats, and nonstop travel options,” said Andrew Watterson, Southwest Airlines chief operating officer. “We’re bringing more to our relationship in both places and adding to the hundreds of flights a day we already offer in both communities.”
The expansion also comes as Orlando International Airport continues to serve as a key gateway for Florida tourism. Southwest has remained the busiest carrier at MCO during the past two years, according to airport data cited by the Orlando Business Journal. The airline held a 22% market share in both years and served approximately 12.4 million passengers.
Southwest also has a large employment footprint in Central Florida. The airline said more than 4,700 people work for Southwest in the Orlando area.
The added Southwest flights could help soften the impact of Spirit’s shutdown on Florida travelers, especially those looking for lower-cost options to reach Orlando and other major Florida destinations. Spirit’s exit created uncertainty for budget-conscious passengers and opened the door for other carriers to increase service in markets where demand remains strong.
While Southwest is not an ultra-low-cost airline in the same model as Spirit, its larger Orlando schedule could increase competition on routes that serve Central Florida’s tourism economy, residents and convention traffic.
The announcement adds Southwest to the growing list of airlines moving quickly to capture passengers in Florida’s post-Spirit market. For Orlando, the expansion also reinforces the airport’s position as one of the most competitive air travel hubs in the Southeast.
