Southwest Airlines announced expanded flight schedules and new temporary routes to meet travel demand during the 2026 college football season and other autumn events across multiple U.S. cities.
Temporary Routes for Football and Other Events
The airline released its full schedule for the 2026 college football season, which begins in late August. Alongside regular flights, Southwest will operate additional services around game days to increase options for travelers. The airline will also serve approximately 19 NFL matchups in 2026, though it has not published a detailed NFL schedule.
Southwest is offering temporary connections on routes that are not normally in its schedule. These include Minneapolis/St. Paul to
New Orleans, Kansas City to Seattle, Miami to Boston, Cleveland to New Orleans, and Milwaukee to Boston, providing passengers with new direct flight options during the football season.
Flights for Additional Autumn Events
Beyond football, Southwest Airlines will add flights supporting other major events in autumn 2026. These include volleyball games in Omaha, Nebraska in late August and early September; music festivals in Columbus and Las Vegas during the weekend of September 19; a hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the Austin City Limits Music Festival both taking place in October; as well as a half-marathon event in Orlando, Florida in October.
These flight expansions grant travelers more flexibility to attend sporting and cultural events throughout the fall season.
Tickets for these special event flights are already available for purchase according to AirlineGeeks.com. Southwest’s expanded schedule reflects its effort to accommodate seasonal spikes in travel for sports and entertainment throughout 2026.
