Southwest Supercharges SoCal: Five New Routes, Two New Links To Hawaii
Southwest Adds Two New Hawaii Routes
Southwest Airlines is deepening its Hawaii footprint from Southern California with two new nonstop routes to Honolulu.
Ontario – Honolulu
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Launch date: June 4, 2026
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Frequency: Daily
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Aircraft: Boeing 737 MAX 8
Ontario International Airport (ONT) will gain its first Southwest nonstop to Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). The flight will depart in the morning from Ontario, with the return sector arriving back in the evening, making it convenient for Hawaii-bound leisure travelers and visiting friends-and-relatives (VFR) traffic.
This service makes Ontario the third Los Angeles–area airport where Southwest offers nonstop flights to Honolulu, joining Long Beach and Los Angeles International Airport.
Burbank – Honolulu
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Launch date: August 4, 2026
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Frequency: Daily
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Aircraft: Boeing 737 MAX 8
Southwest is also restoring long-lost Hawaii connectivity from Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR). The airport has not seen nonstop service to Hawaii in more than two decades, but that will change when Southwest launches its daily Burbank–Honolulu service.
This route will be operated in direct competition with Alaska Airlines, which has also announced Burbank–Honolulu flights, setting up a notable head-to-head battle in the San Fernando Valley–to–Hawaii market. Southwest will likewise compete with Alaska on Ontario–Honolulu, while also facing Hawaiian Airlines, American, Delta, and United from other Los Angeles–area airports, especially LAX.
The Onboard Experience To Hawaii
Southwest will operate all Hawaii routes with its Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet, configured with:
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175 all-economy seats
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Collins Meridian seating
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Wi-Fi and in-seat power
Although there is no traditional in-seat entertainment, Southwest’s streaming entertainment and connectivity remain a selling point. From January 2026, the airline plans to introduce assigned seating and extra-legroom options, changes that will materially reshape the onboard product just in time for these new Hawaii launches.
New West Coast Routes Out Of Southern California
Alongside its Hawaii growth, Southwest is reinforcing its position on the US West Coast, with three additional routes beginning August 4, 2026.
Long Beach – Portland & Seattle
From Long Beach Airport (LGB), Southwest is adding two new links to the Pacific Northwest:
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Long Beach (LGB) – Portland (PDX)
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Launch date: August 4, 2026
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Frequency: 6x weekly
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Long Beach (LGB) – Seattle (SEA)
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Launch date: August 4, 2026
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Frequency: 6x weekly
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These routes further strengthen Long Beach as a Southwest-focused airport, adding connectivity to two major West Coast hubs without direct competition on those specific city pairs. For travelers in the Long Beach area, these flights offer an attractive alternative to larger, more congested airports such as LAX.
San Diego – Santa Barbara (Plus Added Frequencies Northbound)
Southwest is also adding a new short-haul intrastate route:
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San Diego (SAN) – Santa Barbara (SBA)
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Launch date: August 4, 2026
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Frequency: Daily
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This route connects two key coastal cities within California and will compete directly with Alaska’s regional operation (Horizon Air), giving customers more choice for short coastal hops.
At the same time, Southwest will add new daily flights from San Diego to three major markets, effectively doubling frequency on each:
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San Diego – Salt Lake City (SLC)
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San Diego – Portland (PDX)
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San Diego – Seattle (SEA)
These increases underscore San Diego’s importance as a growing Southwest focus city and enhance connectivity for both local and connecting passengers.
Competitive Landscape On The West Coast
The new routes and added frequencies deepen competition in an already crowded West Coast market. Key dynamics include:
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Southwest vs. Alaska Airlines:
Southwest now directly challenges Alaska on Ontario–Honolulu, Burbank–Honolulu, and San Diego–Santa Barbara, while Alaska remains a powerhouse in West Coast point-to-point flying. -
Southwest’s California strength:
Southwest is still the largest carrier in California by capacity, and these route launches reflect a renewed willingness to go on the offensive in markets where Alaska has traditionally been strong. -
Secondary airport strategy:
By growing at Long Beach, San Diego, Ontario, and Burbank, Southwest is doubling down on secondary airports that provide easier access, lower costs, and less congestion than LAX, while still tapping into the huge Southern California demand base.
Southwest’s Evolving Strategy
These new routes come amid a broader strategic shift at Southwest:
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The airline is participating more aggressively in GDS channels, aiming to attract more higher-yield corporate and managed-travel bookings.
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It is preparing to end open seating, moving to assigned seats and selling extra-legroom options—major changes for a carrier whose identity has long been tied to a simple, one-class, open-seating model.
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Proposals to change the free checked bags policy have sparked debate, with some loyal customers worried that the distinctive Southwest value proposition could be diluted.
Financially, however, early signs suggest that many of these moves are working. The carrier has reported improving profitability relative to recent years, which in turn is enabling it to resume growth and network expansion rather than pure cost-cutting.
The five new routes from Southern California, plus frequency boosts from San Diego, show a Southwest that is ready to reinvest in expansion and actively contest share with rivals across the West Coast and to Hawaii.
Bottom Line
Southwest Airlines is adding five new routes from Southern California in 2026, including daily flights from Ontario and Burbank to Honolulu, new Long Beach–Portland and Long Beach–Seattle services, and a new San Diego–Santa Barbara link.
Combined with additional daily flights from San Diego to Salt Lake City, Portland, and Seattle, the changes significantly strengthen Southwest’s presence at secondary Southern California airports and intensify its rivalry with Alaska Airlines on key West Coast and Hawaii routes.
Backed by improving financials and major product changes—like assigned seating and extra-legroom options—Southwest is clearly shifting from defense to offense in California and beyond.
