SOUTHWEST has axed another batch of nonstop flights, leaving loyal travelers furious and scrambling for alternatives.
The cuts are part of a wider shake-up that’s seen the airline ditch dozens of routes this year in a major strategy shift.
Flyers are furious over Southwest Airlines’ decision to cut some routes[/caption]
Officials at the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport was left frustrated after the airline abruptly ditched[/caption]
One of the hardest hit hubs is St. Louis Lambert International Airport, where six direct flights will vanish in March 2026.
Nonstop flights to Little Rock, Tulsa, Charlotte, Des Moines, Oklahoma City, and Wichita are all on the chopping block.
The brutal decision triggered backlash from passengers, local leaders, and airport bosses who say they are being left behind.
Southwest defended the move, saying it was “redesigning east-west connectivity in our network that has traditionally gone through St. Louis to other SWA points of strength.”
That means many travelers will now be routed through bigger hubs like Chicago, Dallas, or Nashville instead of flying directly.
Despite the loss, the airline stressed it will still operate up to 110 daily departures out of St Louis once the changes kick in.
“We are fully committed to the Gateway City and look forward to serving our loyal Customers there for years to come,” the company said.
But airport leaders quickly voiced their frustration at the surprise cut.
Director Rhonda Hamm-Nierbrugge told a recent commission meeting that the flights were too dependent on connecting passengers.
She said just 20% of the traffic on the affected routes came from local customers.
“Even though those flights were full… the only way to fill them was with 80% connecting traffic,” Hamm-Niebruegge told St. Louis Business Journal.
Other airports like Denver and Chicago, she noted, can rely on far more local flyers to sustain non-stop routes.
The changes reflect a bigger shift at Southwest, which is moving closer to a hub and spoke system after decades of selling itself as a point-to-point carrier.
Earlier this year, the airline revealed it would pause 33 seasonal routes, permanently cut 11, and bring back 11 others.
Southwest Airlines Route Changes For 2026
New Routes: 14 Knoxville (to Nashville, Orlando, Dallas, Baltimore), San Diego (to Oregon, Hawaii, Mexico, Washington, Montana)
Cut Routes: 30 St. Louis Des Moines, Wichita, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Charlotte.
Permanent Exits: 7 Confirmed long-term removals from St.Louis hub, Des Moines to St.Louis included.
It also added eight new routes while expanding service in key markets.
One city losing out is Des Moines, Iowa, where nonstop flights to St, Louis are ending.
The final arrival is scheduled to land at 9:10 pm on March 4, 2026.
Officials there admitted disappointment but stressed that connections through Chicago or Dallas would still serve passengers well.
“As of March 2026, daily departures in Des Moines will actually increase,” Southwest said in a statement to The U.S. Sun.
Even so, local flyers vented online, blasting the company for abandoning them.
“I used to take a direct flight from DSM to STL for work, as that was the only available,” one Reddit user fumed.
Another said that the airline has done “everything possible” to make their experience worse.
Southwest also dropped service from St. Louis to Burbank, California, though that will remain as a seasonal route.
At the same time, the airline is entering the Knoxville, Tennessee, market, with five daily round trips launching March 5, 2026.
Southwest is also building up in San Diego, California, with fresh nonstop links to Portland, Honolulu, Mexico, Seattle, and Billings.
Why might an airline cancel or suspend routes?
By Chris Bradford, Assistant News Editor
To cut or make changes to airline routes, carriers have to file motions to the Department of Transportation first for approval. Airlines often refer to market conditions when explaining the motive behind a decision, such as:
- Demand. If bosses notice popularity for a particular route is down, they may be inclined to make a cut.
- Money. Services might be cut because they are not financially viable.
- Resources. Airlines might also make changes if they’re grappling with factors such as rising fuel costs, or pilot shortages. Making targeted cuts can allow airlines to allocate resources more effectively.
But sometimes, the political landscape can provide context behind a particular decision to cut or add routes.
If there are travel restrictions in place, then airlines may decide to take a particular course of action.
Right now, for example, airlines are cutting routes to and from Cuba.
President Donald Trump has demonstrated a tougher policy stance toward Cuba compared to his predecessor, Joe Biden.
He has vowed to enforce a ban on tourism to Cuba more strictly.
Cuba is on the state sponsors of terrorism list compiled by the US Government.
The U.S. Sun has confirmed that Southwest Airlines has requested to cut its number of Tampa, Florida, to Havana, Cuba services.
Southwest currently offers twice daily round trip services between the two cities, but from September 4, this service will be reduced to one daily return trip.
Bosses want the temporary schedule change to remain in place until March 2026.
Southwest has not ruled out a return to the twice daily return trip service if market conditions warrant it.
The low-cost provider is not the only airline that has made changes to its Cuba routes.
United Airlines is ending its sole direct service between Houston and Havana from September 2.
And, bosses at American Airlines have also filed a motion with the DOT to reduce its routes to Cuba.
Earlier this year, major carriers such as United, Delta, and American Airlines temporarily suspended routes to the Middle East due to the hostilities in the region.
