Southwest Airlines plans to offer flights to Europe beginning in February, allowing travelers to book trips via Icelandair.
Baltimore: You’ll LUV this news. Southwest Airlines is gearing up to expand its routes to Europe, and it’s happening sooner than you might think.
So, here’s the scoop: Southwest has teamed up with Icelandair for this transatlantic adventure. You won’t be flying directly to Madrid, but you can snag a ticket to Spain through Reykjavik on their website soon.
This partnership means Southwest will get you to an Icelandair airport in the U.S., and then Icelandair will take you the rest of the way. It’s a pretty sweet deal!
Before, you could do this, but now you can book the whole trip in just a few clicks on Southwest’s site. Plus, you’ll only need to check your bag once, which is a win.
Ryan Greer, Southwest’s Chief Transformation Officer, mentioned they’re excited to offer customers access to new destinations and experiences, thanks to Icelandair’s expertise.
For now, flights will kick off from Baltimore’s BWI Airport, a major hub for Southwest and Icelandair. They’re also looking to add Denver and Nashville as gateway cities later on.
While there’s no official launch date yet, once it’s up and running, travelers can expect a smooth journey. After arriving in Reykjavik, you’ll have tons of options for continental destinations with Icelandair.
And if you want to stick around, Icelandair has a great stopover program. You can hang out in Iceland for up to a week without paying extra for your flights!
This announcement comes at a great time, too. The dollar and euro are nearly even, which means American travelers can save some cash in Europe. Right now, the exchange rate is $1.03 to €1.00, a nice improvement from last fall.
That might not sound like much, but those savings can really add up. Plus, if you travel during the shoulder seasons in spring and fall, you can save even more on hotels compared to the peak summer rates.
