Southwest Knoxville flights launch March 5, 2026

Published on Aug 15, 2025, 10:36 am CDT

6 min read

Southwest Airlines will enter Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) with four new nonstop routes, starting March 5, 2026. The carrier plans twice-daily service to Nashville International Airport (BNA), plus daily flights to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Dallas Love Field (DAL), and Orlando International Airport (MCO). Tickets are on sale as Southwest extended its schedule through April 6, 2026. The airline also detailed new San Diego International Airport (SAN) routes that align with the opening of the airport's new Terminal 1. Knoxville is the second new destination Southwest has unveiled this summer.

Key Points

Why it matters: Knoxville gains four nonstops, including exclusive links to Baltimore, Dallas Love Field, and Nashville.
Travel impact: Twice-daily Nashville flights enable fast Smokies, SEC, and Midwest connections.
What's next: A third new Southwest destination will be announced by the end of August.
Allegiant competes on Knoxville-Orlando via MCO and Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB).
Southwest's schedule is now bookable through April 6, 2026.

Snapshot

Southwest's Knoxville launch brings five daily round-trips spread across four city pairs, anchored by twice-daily Knoxville-Nashville and daily Knoxville-Baltimore, Knoxville-Dallas Love Field, and Knoxville-Orlando. The Baltimore and Nashville links are unique in the market, and Love Field access differentiates Dallas service from American's Dallas Fort Worth offering. In Orlando, Southwest will face Allegiant, which already flies Knoxville to both MCO and SFB on limited weekly schedules. The timing coincides with a broader network push that includes new daily San Diego service to Maui, Puerto Vallarta, Seattle, Portland, and Eugene when SAN's new Terminal 1 opens. The Knoxville move follows Southwest's July unveiling of St. Thomas service from Baltimore and Orlando, with one more new destination promised before August ends.

Background

Southwest paused expansion for nearly four years while restoring its network, managing fleet constraints, and overhauling customer products. This summer, the airline resumed growth by adding St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands to the map, with flights from BWI beginning February 7, 2026, and from MCO starting February 5, 2026. For context on that launch, see Southwest to Launch St. Thomas Flights in February 2026. The carrier also confirmed a shift to assigned seating effective January 27, 2026, and it introduced new fare bundles and seat types, alongside newly published bag-fee details for bookings made on or after May 28, 2025. Those policy updates are already shaping booking behavior for 2026 travel. With Knoxville, Southwest taps Tennessee's growing leisure and business demand, while the San Diego additions leverage new gate capacity at SAN's Terminal 1 to deepen West Coast connectivity.

Latest Developments

Southwest Knoxville flights, schedules, and competitors

Southwest will launch Knoxville service on March 5, 2026, with five daily round-trips. Knoxville-Nashville International Airport (BNA) will operate twice daily, while Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Dallas Love Field (DAL), and Orlando International Airport (MCO) will run daily. According to the airport's published nonstop list, Southwest is the only airline linking TYS to BNA, BWI, and DAL. In the Orlando market, Southwest's MCO flights will join Allegiant's existing Knoxville schedules to both MCO and Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), which typically operate several times per week. All Knoxville routes are now on sale inside Southwest's extended booking window through April 6, 2026. The Nashville frequency, combined with Baltimore connectivity, positions TYS travelers for faster links across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest, including access to SEC events that Southwest regularly markets to sports travelers.

San Diego Terminal 1 fuels 2026 route growth

Southwest, already San Diego's largest operator by departures, is pairing the opening of San Diego International Airport's (SAN) new Terminal 1 with added reach. Beginning March 5, 2026, Southwest will launch daily, year-round service between SAN and Kahului Airport (OGG) on Maui, Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) in Puerto Vallarta, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Portland International Airport (PDX), and Eugene Airport (EUG). Saturday service to Bozeman, Montana, and Spokane, Washington, starts March 7, 2026, expanding winter-friendly access to the Rockies and Inland Northwest. These moves deepen San Diego's network breadth while creating more one-stop options for Knoxville travelers bound for Hawaii, Mexico, or the Pacific Northwest. The added SAN capacity also dovetails with Southwest's broader spring schedule refresh, which includes multiple frequency builds across the domestic system.

Assigned seating and fees arrive ahead of first flights

Southwest's shift to assigned seating takes effect January 27, 2026, with seat selection available during booking on eligible fares for travel on or after that date. Customers on Basic fares will receive seat assignments at check-in, while higher bundles unlock Preferred and Extra Legroom seats. The boarding process changes to numbered Groups 1 through 8, replacing the familiar A, B, C format. For details, see Southwest Sets Date for Assigned Seating Rollout. Separately, for trips booked on or after May 28, 2025, Southwest now charges for the first and second checked bags for most fares, with exemptions for select elite tiers, cardholders, and top fare bundles. Families and groups weighing Knoxville-Orlando options should compare total trip costs across airports and fares, since bag and seat choices will vary by ticket type.

Analysis

Southwest's Knoxville entry is a strategic wedge into East Tennessee's fast-growing catchment. Twice-daily Knoxville-Nashville adds a high-utility shuttle that feeds the broader network via BNA, while Baltimore extends Mid-Atlantic reach without the slot constraints of Washington National. Dallas Love Field, unavailable to most competitors, gives Knoxville travelers a convenient downtown Dallas gateway with robust Westbound connections, differentiating the Dallas market from American's Dallas Fort Worth hub. Orlando is the lone head-to-head route, and Allegiant's dual-airport presence at MCO and SFB will keep leisure fares sharp, particularly around school calendars and peak theme-park periods.

The timing also leverages Southwest's product overhaul. Assigned seating and refreshed fare bundles should reduce boarding anxiety, smooth family seating, and enable cabin-front monetization, all helpful on short-haul business-leisure routes like Knoxville-Nashville. Bag-fee rules will push some travelers toward higher bundles or co-brand cards, further segmenting the customer base. Meanwhile, new Terminal 1 capacity at San Diego creates a second engine for 2026 growth. The SAN additions broaden Hawaii, Mexico, and Pacific Northwest options, building city-pair density that benefits both Knoxville originators and inbound visitors to the Smokies.

Execution now matters. Sustained on-time performance, smart schedule padding on Florida weekends, and tight turns at Love Field will determine whether Southwest converts early curiosity into durable share. If the mix holds, Knoxville should evolve into a stable four-route station that supports future seasonal adds, especially during football season and spring-break flows.

Final Thoughts

Knoxville's addition fills a clear gap in Southwest's Southeast network, pairing exclusive links to Nashville, Baltimore, and Love Field with a competitive Orlando option. The move arrives as the airline rolls out assigned seating and updates fare bundles, changes that will shape how families and business travelers book 2026 trips. With San Diego's Terminal 1 unlocking fresh West Coast lift, the spring schedule gives East Tennessee new one-stop access to Hawaii, Mexico, and the Pacific Northwest. For travelers eyeing spring break or summer plans, early booking will secure preferred seats and lower fares on the new Southwest Knoxville flights.