Southwest Airlines expanded its domestic flight routes to three international destinations Tuesday, further fulfilling its growth plans abroad.
The discount airline hopes to move to a full international service by the end of 2014.
Service is currently available to Aruba, Jamaica and the Bahamas for a maximum $200, according to company officials. Southwest is also selling the special travel packages for flights booked through July 14, 2014, and trips between Friday and Jan. 4, 2015.
"Thousands of our employees have a hand in launching today's flights which begin to bring our convenient and affordable way of air travel to the world, and broaden the horizon for more than 100 million customers who fly with us every year," said Teresa Laraba, Southwest's senior vice president of customers. "We've grown through four decades of profitable service to carry more domestic air travelers every day than any other airline, and this next chapter plants a flag for Bags Fly Free and No Change Fees in foreign sand."
"We are extremely pleased that our next generation technology has enabled Southwest to achieve its goal of international flying," added Julia Sattel, senior vice president of Airline IT at Amadeus.
Southwest Airlines announced flights to Mexico City, Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic May 19, 2014 according to company officials.
"There are some big gifts for everyone in this holiday schedule: our initial nonstop offerings for a liberated Love Field in Dallas, and nearly triple the flights we currently offer at Reagan National Airport," stated Bob Jordan, Southwest Airlines executive vice president and chief commercial officer at the time.
