SOUTHWEST Airlines has confirmed it is launching another new route, jetting customers to The New Frontier.
From next year, the Dallas-based carrier will begin flights to stunning Anchorage, the most populous city in Alaska.
Southewest Airlines has announced another new route amid vast changes (stock)[/caption]
From next year, the Dallas-based carrier will begin flights to Anchorage, the most populous city in Alaska[/caption]
Surprisingly, this marks the fifth new destination announced by the airline after a year of controversial cuts and changes.
Passengers hoping to explore the wilderness and experience the great Northern Lights can look forward to booking tickets to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport when Southwest releases its next schedule extension this month.
However, the carrier did not say which airports it would connect to the popular US state from.
Announcing the new route, Southwest Airlines Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson said, “We’re adding destinations that once seemed inconceivable for Southwest in order to build a route network that creates new experiences and more possibilities than ever before.
“We look forward to connecting our customers to the rich history and culture of Anchorage and connecting the 49th state to our vast domestic network.”
Alaska will be the 43rd state Southwest Airlines will fly to.
Travelers will be able to explore the stunning wilderness of the US state (stock)[/caption]
Anchorage is the latest of five destinations added to Southwest’s 2026 map[/caption]
Welcoming the move, Ryan Anderson, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, said air travel is a “lifeline in Alaska.”
“This service will provide more affordable, reliable connections for Alaskans and help share our great state with more visitors than ever before,” Anderson said in a statement.
Flights to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) will begin in the first half of 2026, or by next June, Southwest confirmed.
But ANC is just one of a handful of new destinations to recently be added to Southwest Airlines’ map.
At the end of August, Southwestern announced a new non-stop route to the beautiful Caribbean Island of Sint Maarten.
This route will be launched on April 7, 2026, flying passengers to and from the island’s Princess Juliana International Airport.
It will run between both Orlando International Airport, Florida, and Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Maryland.
And last month, the carrier confirmed it was adding flights from Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, in California’s wine country for the first time.
Why Americans will be fingerprinted in airports from October 12
The European Union’s Entry-Exit System (EES) is set to be fully implemented by April 2026, and its rollout will introduce new procedures for American travelers visiting the Schengen Area.
The EES is a fully automated system that replaces manual passport stamping with digital records.
Here’s what this means for American travelers:
1. No More Passport Stamps The most immediate change is that your passport will no longer be manually stamped upon entry and exit. Instead, the EES will electronically record your name, travel document details, and the date and time of your entry and exit.
2. Biometric Data Collection Upon your first entry into a participating country after the system’s implementation, you will be required to provide biometric data. This includes:
- Fingerprints: All ten of your fingerprints will be scanned.
- Facial Image: A photograph will be taken for facial recognition purposes.
This information will be stored securely in a central EU database and used to verify your identity on future trips, which is intended to streamline the process.
3. Automatic Tracking of Your Stay The EES will automatically track the length of your stay to ensure compliance with the “90 days within any 180-day period” rule for visa-free travel. The system is designed to prevent overstays, and exceeding the limit could result in fines or future travel restrictions.
4. What to Expect at the Border The EES is designed to make border crossings faster in the long run. However, during the initial rollout, there may be some delays as both travelers and border agents adapt to the new procedures. Some airports will have self-service kiosks that allow travelers with a biometric passport to complete the registration process more quickly.
5. EES vs. ETIAS It’s important to distinguish between the EES and the upcoming European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
- EES: This system is for at-the-border processing and tracking your entries and exits.
- ETIAS: This is a pre-travel authorization that will be required for visa-exempt travelers, including Americans, beginning in late 2026. ETIAS is similar to the U.S. ESTA program and will involve a brief online application and a fee.
Other new Southwest destinations in 2026 will include McGGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) near Knoxville, Tennessee, and St. Thomas’ Cyrus E. King International Airport (STT) in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
But the expansion also comes at a time of vast changes at the airline.
In May, Southwest began charging its first bag fees.
This decision to end the airline’s “bags fly free” policy proved controversial among flyers, but CEO Bob Jordan defended the decision.
“The revenue contribution from bag fees has exceeded our expectations so far,” he said during a Q2 earnings call in August.
“We’ve experienced no negative impact to the operation.”
And from January next year, the carrier will replace its open-seating policy with assigned seats, including an extra-legroom premium option.
Meanwhile, only last week, Southwest Airlines enforced a new security measure to prevent fire hazards.
Passengers now have to follow the new guidelines before boarding amid warnings of the dangers of lithium-powered batteries on planes.
Travelers have been urged to remove them from mobility devices due to fire hazards.
Under the new rule, they are now asked to carry lithium batteries with them into the cabin before their wheelchair is checked.
From January 11, only batteries with 300 watt-hours or less will be allowed on flights.
Alaska will be the 43rd state Southwest Airlines will fly to[/caption]
