Southwest Boosts Pittsburgh-Austin Service to Daily

For the second time in nearly a month, Southwest Airlines will add more service to one of its newest routes from Pittsburgh International Airport.

In the airline’s latest schedule extension released Thursday, Southwest announced it will upgrade its flights between Pittsburgh and Austin, Texas, from weekend-only to daily starting Oct. 5. The move comes just weeks after the carrier announced it would expand service to year-round between two of the nation’s fastest-growing technology centers.

In addition, Southwest also announced it will add a fourth daily flight to Orlando this fall, the most it has ever operated from PIT during that season.

The new additions will grow Southwest’s flight count for October at PIT to 29 total departures, up from 21 during the same period in 2022.

Southwest began its Pittsburgh-Austin service in November 2021, initially operating the service during the peak holiday travel period. It currently serves Austin nonstop alongside ultra-low cost carrier Allegiant Air, which will resume its seasonal, twice-weekly service from PIT on May 19.

While Allegiant (launched in 2017) and Southwest each serve the market nonstop, it will be the first time PIT has had daily flights to Austin in over 25 years.

Increased service to Austin and Orlando is the latest of in a series of service additions by Southwest as the airline focuses its plans on network restoration from the pandemic. For 2023, Southwest will also add the following service from PIT:

• Cancun, Mexico: seasonal, weekly service resumes March 11
• Myrtle Beach, S.C.: resumes June 4 and increases from weekend-only to daily July 11
• Houston-Hobby: resumes April 16 and increases from once weekly to six times a week on July 11
• Atlanta: increases from once daily to twice daily July 9
• Denver: increases from twice daily to three times daily July 11
• Phoenix: increases from weekend-only to daily Sept. 5