Double Up! Southwest Airlines And AirTran Airways Extend Schedules Through Late September, Bringing Southwest Service To Grand Rapids

- Double Win for Michigan: New Southwest City and New Service to Las Vegas from Flint

- AirTran Nearly Doubles Daily Flights from Memphis, Tenn.

- Southwest Airlines Offers Double Rapid Rewards® Points on All Flights Nationwide

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Feb 04, 2013, 11:14 ET

DALLAS, Feb. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) announced today Grand Rapids, Mich. is the next AirTran Airways city to be converted to Southwest service. Those flights from Grand Rapids to Baltimore/Washington, Denver, Orlando, and Saint Louis will begin Aug. 11, 2013. AirTran service in Grand Rapids will end the previous day, Aug. 10, 2013.

From Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), fly Southwest Airlines Nonstop to:

(BWI) Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
(DEN) Denver International Airport
(MCO) Orlando International Airport
(STL) Lambert-St. Louis International Airport

To celebrate the new service, the carrier announced a fare sale offering nonstop one-way fares on the new service between $109 and $149. These fares must be booked by Feb. 17 for travel between Aug. 11 and Sept. 27, 2013. Blackout dates apply. See fare rules below. To take advantage of these special fares, visit southwest.com.

Nonstop flights in Grand Rapids will double in the conversion from AirTran to Southwest. In August, Southwest will offer six daily nonstop flights compared to a previous three daily nonstop flights.

"As we bring Southwest into Grand Rapids we're not simply swapping airlines, we're adding new cities, we're bringing in larger airplanes and flying more flights," said Ron Ricks, an Executive Vice President for the Dallas-based carrier. "Similarly, on the AirTran side, we're nearly doubling the number of flights in and out of Memphis which provides low fare competition to more destinations with more seats."

Additionally, AirTran expands operations in Memphis with new nonstop flights between Memphis and Chicago (Midway), Baltimore/Washington, and Orlando, beginning Aug. 11, 2013. In Memphis, AirTran currently offers five daily nonstop flights to Atlanta.

Southwest also will begin nonstop service between Flint, Mich. and Las Vegas starting Aug. 11, 2013. Bishop International Airport (FNT) in Flint is currently served by AirTran Airways and will convert to Southwest Airlines service on April 14, 2013. Inaugural service from Flint will also include nonstop service to Baltimore/Washington, Orlando, and Tampa Bay.

Southwest also announced today a promotion to reward Members of the airline's frequent flyer program, Rapid Rewards, with double points on all travel nationwide. In other words, Members will receive 12 points (instead of six) for each dollar spent on Wanna Get Away^® Fares, 20 points (instead of ten) for each dollar spent on Anytime Fares, and 24 points (instead of 12) for each dollar spent on Business Select^® Fares. Rapid Rewards Members simply need to register for the promotion at the website below prior to travel between Feb. 4 and May 15, 2013, book a flight between Feb. 4 and May 15, 2013, and fly between Feb. 4 and May 15, 2013, to receive the additional points. Customers who want to enroll in Rapid Rewards and take advantage of this promotion may also click on this link: southwest.com/rrpromotions.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Additional Fare Rules:

Fares are available only on southwest.com and swabiz.com and can be purchased today, through Feb. 17, 2013, 11:59 pm PT in the respective time zone of the originating city. Travel must take place between Aug. 11, 2013, and Sept. 27, 2013. Fares are valid for travel every day. Blackouts include August 29th through 30th and September 2nd through 3rd. 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 Airlines Nationwide Double Points Promotion Terms and Conditions:

Member must register for this promotion between Feb. 4, 2013 and May 15, 2013, and registration must be completed prior to commencement of travel. Valid on new reservations only. Travel must be booked on southwest.com®, swabiz.com®, or any Southwest Airlines distribution channel between Feb. 4, 2013 and May 15, 2013. Travel must be completed between Feb. 4, 2013 and May 15, 2013. Rapid Rewards® account number must be entered at the time of booking. Rapid Rewards earned points are calculated using base fare and excise tax. Member will receive 12 bonus points per dollar spent on Business Select Fares, ten bonus points per dollar spent on Anytime Fares, and six bonus points per dollar spent on Wanna Get Away? Fares. Bonus points are in addition to the standard flight points earned through Rapid Rewards. Bonus points will not count toward A-List, A-List Preferred qualification, and Companion Pass qualification. Member will receive Rapid Rewards Bonus Points within four days of completion of entire ticket. Award, Companion Pass, Southwest Vacation Packages, Jackpot Deals®, and reward travel do not qualify for this promotion. Changes made to the itinerary after purchase may eliminate qualification for promotion. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 42^nd year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating passengers boarded, and including wholly-owned subsidiary, AirTran Airways, operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world to serve 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and six near-international countries. Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for its triple bottom line thinking that takes into account the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of the People who work there and the communities it serves, and its commitment to efficiency and the Planet. The 2011 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at southwest.com/citizenship.

Southwest Airlines

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel quantified by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. On every flight, Southwest offers Customers the first two pieces of checked luggage (weight and size limitations apply) and all ticket changes without additional fees. Southwest's all Boeing fleet consistently offers leather seating and the comfort of full-size cabins, many of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi connectivity and a new, sustainable cabin interior. With 40 consecutive years of profitability, the People of Southwest operate more than 3,200 flights a day and serve communities around 78 airports in Southwest's network of domestic destinations. Southwest Airlines' frequent flights and low fares are available only at southwest.com.

AirTran Airways

AirTran Airways, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co., offers coast-to-coast and near-international service with close to 600 flights a day to 54 destinations. The carrier's high-quality product includes assigned seating and Business Class. As Southwest continues to integrate AirTran's People, places, and planes into Southwest Airlines, Customers of both carriers may book flights at airtran.com and exchange earned loyalty points between both AirTran's A+ Rewards® and Southwest's Rapid Rewards® for reward travel on either airline.

southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines