Southwest to launch two new nonstops from Austin in March 2025

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Southwest Airlines is expanding its network from Austin, launching two new nonstop routes in March 2025.

Flights from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Reno, Nevada, will take off March 6. The Milwaukee route will operate year-round each weekday, while the Reno route will be seasonal and "less than daily."

The Austin-Reno route is currently served by American Airlines, while the Milwaukee route is brand new for AUS. Milwaukee ranked as the top domestic market for passengers from Austin currently without nonstop service, according to airport officials.

Southwest will also resume seasonal service to Panama City, Florida; Montrose, Colorado and San Juan, Puerto Rico, in March.

"We are excited to see Southwest expand their presence here at AUS with new and returning nonstop flights compared to last year," AUS CEO Ghizlane Badawi said in a press release Thursday. "We appreciate Southwest’s investment into new and returning services and can’t wait for our travelers to enjoy more options to travel to and from Austin."

The new routes mean the airline will offer 125 daily nonstop flights from AUS at peak service, Badawi said.

Southwest continues to be the largest airline operating at AUS in terms of passenger traffic. More than 4.5 million passengers flew in or out of Austin on a Southwest flight in the first six months of the year, accounting for 42% of all passengers at the airport. Passenger totals for the airline are up 10% over the same time period in 2023.

In June, Southwest began seasonal service from AUS to Boston, while flights to Omaha, Nebraska, are set to begin in November.