Southwest's Boldest Move Takes Off In 2026 With A New Route Travelers Can't Wait For

Southwest Airlines may not be under as much stress as Spirit Airlines, which has declared bankruptcy twice within one year. But Southwest has still suffered some backlash over changes to popular perks like its long time open seating policy. However, its latest move is likely going to make plenty of travelers happy. Southwest has confirmed it will be adding non-stop service to Anchorage, Alaska, from both Denver and Las Vegas. These flights are set to take off on May 15, 2026, and tickets for the new routes are already available to purchase online if you're anything like us and you like to plan your vacations way ahead of time.

This is the first time that Southwest has expanded its American routes beyond the Lower 48. In the press release from Southwest Airlines about the new service to Anchorage, it appears to be a win-win for both Alaskans and visitors. "Air travel is a lifeline in Alaska ... This service will provide more affordable, reliable connections for Alaskans and help share our great state with more visitors than ever before," Ryan Anderson, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, said in the release.

The new Southwest nonstop flight to Anchorage will depart once per day from Denver and Las Vegas, and currently, the service runs only through summer. When you search on Southwest.com for the Denver to Anchorage route, direct flights leave at 6:50 p.m. and arrive at 10:20 p.m., lasting 5.5 hours. The direct flight from Las Vegas arrives at 11:55 p.m. It's a pretty late arrival on both flights, so you'll want to make sure that you have your lodging / rental car reservations ready to go. But, in the height of summer, you might even still have some daylight left when you arrive in Anchorage, thanks to its 22-hours of daylight in summertime. Anchorage and Alaska in summer is a delight, with mild weather and plenty of hiking and outdoor adventure in places like Girdwood, just outside of Anchorage. So it's great that travelers have more options to get to The Last Frontier.

Other upcoming changes to the Southwest service include a new direct option between San Diego and Boston as well as between Las Vegas and Cancun. The airline also has a partnership with Icelandair, which gives loyalty members a chance to earn rewards points, as well as the rumored potential to launch its own route to Iceland. So while some of Southwest's recent policy changes, like starting to charge for bags, haven't been well received, adding direct flights to Anchorage from two cities will likely make travelers happy.