Southwest Airlines Announces Fares And Flights To Branson, Missouri

DALLAS, Aug. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) announced today the carrier will add a 79^th destination to its route map with service to Branson, Missouri, beginning in March 2013. Southwest starts service in Branson on March 9, 2013, with daily flights offering nonstop service to Dallas, Houston Hobby, and Chicago Midway, and with Saturday-only service to Orlando. Southwest will assume all flying from AirTran Airways, its wholly owned subsidiary, with AirTran's operations at Branson fully converting to Southwest Airlines. To view a route map of the new service, click here www.swamedia.com.

To celebrate the new Branson service, Southwest announced a fare sale of $79* one-way between Branson and Dallas (Love Field), Chicago (Midway), or Houston (Hobby) as well as $99 to Orlando. These fares must be booked by Sept. 6, 2012, for travel between March 9, 2013, and April 11, 2013 (blackout date of April 2, 2013, applies). See fare rules below. To take advantage of these special fares, visit www.southwest.com.

"Southwest Airlines is proud to bring low fares, great Customer Service, and our red-bellied 737s to Branson," said Bob Montgomery, Southwest Airlines' Vice President of Airport Affairs.  "We are looking forward to serving the community and offering more new destinations to Branson Customers."

Southwest's Branson Service:

• One daily nonstop flight between Branson and Dallas Love Field
• One daily nonstop flight between Branson and Houston Hobby
• One daily nonstop flight between Branson and Chicago Midway
• One Saturday-only nonstop flight between Branson and Orlando

Southwest also announced today that the airline has extended its flight schedule for travel between March 9, 2013, and April 12, 2013. In the new schedule, Southwest will begin service between several markets as listed below. The carrier also will add seasonal service to this flight schedule to accommodate Spring Break travel.

Southwest's new markets:

• Two daily nonstop flights between Newark and Nashville
• One daily nonstop flight between Newark and Austin
• One daily nonstop flight between Newark and New Orleans
• One daily nonstop flight between Dayton and Orlando
• One daily nonstop flight between Key West and New Orleans

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 42^nd year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers by providing a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service.  Including wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways, the Company now serves 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, six near-international countries, and employs more than 46,000 People.

Visit southwest.com/citizenship to read the Southwest Airlines One Report™ and see how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen while underscoring a commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines, one of the most honored airlines in the world, is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded.  Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and serves the communities around 76 airports in Southwest's network of domestic destinations.  To book a flight, visit southwest.com.

ADDITIONAL FARE RULES

Fares are available only on www.southwest.com and www.swabiz.com and can be purchased today, through Sept. 6, 2012, 11:59 pm PT.  Travel must take place between March 9, 2013, and April 11, 2013. Blackout date of April 2, 2013, applies. Fares are valid for travel every day except Fridays and Sundays. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destinations, flight, and day of week and won't be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Fares are available for one-way travel. Fares may be combined with other combinable fares, except Senior Fares. When combining fares, all rules and restrictions apply. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines.  Fares are not available through the Group Desk.  Any change in the itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime fare. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Fares are valid on published, scheduled service only.

* Government-imposed taxes and fees are now included in the advertised fare. To comply with new government regulations, all airlines must include government-imposed taxes and fees in advertised air fares.

southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines