Southwest Airlines adds travel in South Carolina, Oregon and Washington state to its destination map

Southwest Airlines is adding three new destinations on the East Coast and West Coast, making planes fly to Myrtle Beach, SC, Eugene, Ore. And Bellingham, Wash. Still this year

Dallas-based Southwest has now added 17 new destinations since the pandemic began, while continuing to try to deviate from its previous strategy of fewer destinations and worthwhile airports, while trying to capture new passengers to ease the financial pain of the pandemic.

Airlines are struggling to add beach and outdoor vacations this summer, even as expanding vaccine distribution increases the potential demand for summer travel. Even so, many are anticipating that leisure travel will dominate the airline industry for months or years and rural destinations will still be preferred to urban spots.

Last year saw the most aggressive route expansion in Southwest’s 50-year history. It doubles in large metropolitan areas with service to Houston Intercontinental Airport and Miami International Airport, and added service for vacation getaways. This dual approach has made it easier to take customers where they live and leave them where they want.

Some airlines have increased seasonal service, but Southwest has decided to make all of its new routes permanent, while testing demand for the post-pandemic period.

Southwest anticipates launching Myrtle Beach International Airport service this summer. The Atlantic Coast destination is a popular beach and a summer golf getaway for those living in the region.

Service for Eugene and Bellingham is expected to begin in the second half of 2021.

Bellingham is less than 20 miles from the Canadian border and is also a gateway to the San Juan Islands in Washington.

“Southwest’s service in Bellingham positions us south of the Vancouver, British Columbia metropolitan area,” Southwest said in a statement. “After the reopening of the Canadian border, we expect a return from travelers concerned about the values ​​they are already driving to this alternative airport to escape the high fares and taxes – and this is very, very typical for destinations in the southwest.”

Southwest has yet to announce a specific route to the new destinations.

Eugene, about two hours south of Portland and home to the University of Oregon, lies between the Pacific Ocean and the southern tip of the Cascade Mountains, overlooking Mt. Bachelor’s and a short drive to nearby ski resorts in Bend.

Southwest begins service to two of these new destinations, to Colorado Springs and Savannah, starting on Thursday, as well as the service from Long Beach, California to Hawaii.