Southwest Airlines is officially headed to St. Thomas. In an announcement Monday morning, the airline confirmed plans to launch service to Cyril E. King International Airport in early 2026 — adding the U.S. Virgin Islands to its growing list of Caribbean destinations for the first time.
The news marks a major win for the territory’s tourism sector and caps what officials described as a multi-year push to expand airlift into the islands. According to the V.I. Department of Tourism, the new partnership reflects close collaboration between the Bryan administration, the department, and the Virgin Islands Port Authority, all working to make the territory more accessible to travelers.
“Today marks an exciting milestone for the U.S. Virgin Islands and our growing tourism industry,” Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said in a statement, adding that the government is proud to welcome Southwest to St. Thomas and looks forward to “greeting new travelers to our beautiful island home.”
Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte said the service will open the door to expanded travel options for visitors and help further showcase the territory’s natural beauty and culture.
Southwest, which hasn’t added new destinations to its network since 2021, said St. Thomas will be the first of three new additions expected to be announced this summer. Once launched, St. Thomas will become the ninth island destination served by the carrier in the Atlantic region, joining Aruba, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Turks and Caicos.
In the announcement, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said the move reflects the airline’s commitment to expanding options for its customers. “We are listening closely to what our customers want — from new products and loyalty benefits to new destinations,” Jordan said. “We want to make Southwest Airlines the easy and obvious choice every time, and this is another meaningful step in our ongoing transformation.”
Service to St. Thomas is expected to begin in early 2026, pending government approvals, and Southwest officials said tickets will be available for purchase soon.
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