Southwest prolonged its schedule from early March to early April final week. Positive it included a brand new metropolis — Knoxville — however the actual information was buried within the weeds. Although capability is principally flat in March vs final yr, the underlying schedule has modified considerably dramatically. There are actually 4 connecting hubs for the airline in the midst of the nation, they usually all work collectively.
In fact, Southwest has loads of different locations that may and can join site visitors, however the 4 hubs that get restructured in March are Chicago/Halfway, Denver, Nashville, and St Louis. These hubs now every have 4 banks through the day, two within the morning and two within the night. Right here’s the way it seems to be with the occasions proven being the native occasions out and in of the hub:
Three of those hubs function the identical manner. They’ve their first financial institution arriving from the east within the morning after which heading west from there. Then proper after there’s an arrival financial institution from the west which connects to eastbound flights. Then there’s one other financial institution arriving from the west within the early night which connects east. Lastly, there’s a late financial institution arriving from the east that goes west.
This is sensible, as a result of it permits the early morning financial institution to make the most of the east coast time zone whereas the late financial institution takes benefit of the west coast time zone. Halfway, nonetheless, is somewhat completely different. It’s truly the identical within the night, however the morning banks are flipped.
The primary financial institution of arrivals is available in from the west on the redeyes from the coast earlier than 6am. Then between 6:30am and 7am there are a bunch of early arrivals from close by cities. These all funnel into an east coast departing financial institution that goes between 7:30am and eight:05am. Right here’s a map with redeye arrivals in crimson, short-haul arrivals in grey, and departures in blue.
That is fairly completely different from what Southwest used to do. It beforehand had a a lot flatter construction all through the day, although it did have some banking. Let me present you what I imply utilizing Halfway for example. Right here’s what it appeared like this previous March (on a Monday):
Chicago/Halfway March 2025 Monday Flights By Hour
Knowledge through Cirium
You may see there are some two huge banks with a 3rd later within the day that’s much less balanced, all highlighted in blue. Within the center the flights are unfold out pretty evenly. Now have a look at the plan for subsequent March.
Chicago/Halfway March 2026 Monday Flights By Hour
Knowledge through Cirium
You may see 4 clear banks highlighted in crimson. Positive, there are nonetheless flights in any respect hours, however the connecting banks have been peaked. Not solely have they been peaked, the cities concerned have been fine-tuned. For instance, check out the morning financial institution in Denver. Right here’s what it appeared like this previous March.
March 2025 Denver Morning Financial institution
Maps generated by the Nice Circle Mapper – copyright © Karl L. Swartz.
You may see that this financial institution flows in all instructions. However subsequent March? Not a lot.
March 2026 Denver Morning Financial institution
Maps generated by the Nice Circle Mapper – copyright © Karl L. Swartz.
That is now a really directional financial institution that brings individuals in from the east after which heads to the west.
These 4 hubs will after all proceed to serve native markets as at all times, however having the 4 of them work collectively means they are often extra environment friendly and do a greater job of pushing site visitors over the assorted hubs at completely different occasions of day.
What does this imply in follow? I went forward and checked out Sacramento in additional element. On a random Monday in March 2025 and the identical in March 2026, Southwest has 14 day by day flights to those 4 hubs. Nashville converts from a night arrival to a redeye, St Louis sees no change as a night arrival, Halfway will get a second flight that could be a redeye, and Denver drops from 11 to 10 day by day.
Taking a look at connections inside two hours past the 4 hubs (with out severe backtracking), the variety of particular person flight choices rises greater than 18 % vs the prior yr. As in any schedule, there are a handful (3 cities) that not have connectivity and 4 that acquire it, however of the remaining 53 markets, 24 see will increase and 20 see no change. In different phrases, solely 9 see a lower — all lose only one flight possibility — and a couple of of these have their very own nonstops anyway (Austin and Baltimore).
Right here’s a have a look at the map:
March 17, 2026 vs March 17, 2025 Sacramento Connections through the 4 Hubs
Maps generated by the Nice Circle Mapper – copyright © Karl L. Swartz.Sacramento + the 4 hubs in black, flat in grey, up or new in inexperienced, down or gone in crimson
With higher connectivity that makes use of the 4 hubs to create alternative all through the day and the introduction of redeyes, Southwest has become the factor it at all times preteneded it didn’t wish to be… an airline well-equipped for connections.
Does that save the airline? Effectively, it in all probability doesn’t harm, particularly when it’s a must to fill 175 seats on most flights as deliveries of smaller planes proceed to be held up. It’s a optimistic growth for individuals in these mid-size cities that Southwest actually must win.
