As with many others, Southwest Airlines, a prominent low-cost carrier, anticipates carrying several thousand passengers during the upcoming Spring break travel surge.
Despite maintaining a consistent operation in Southern California throughout the year, this month marks significant activity, especially with its busiest destination Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), boasting over 200 flights daily.
Out of the 115 cities served by Southwest Airlines from LAX every week, nine destinations will witness more than 100 flights scheduled this month. Due to its traditional point-to-point operation model, the majority of the busiest routes are concentrated on the West Coast.
Notably, Southwest Airlines has 2,186 flights scheduled from LAX this month, with its top destination being Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, with a total of 230 flights.
With the flight duration averaging around 45-50 minutes for the approximately 236-mile journey, LAS serves as the closest destination to LAX. Southwest Airlines operates all three of its aircraft types – the Boeing 737-700, -800, and MAX 8 – on this route daily, offering over 33,000 seats throughout the month.
Following closely behind LAS is Oakland International Airport (OAK), set to experience 200 flights from LAX this month. Given the consistent demand for travel between Southern California and the Bay Area, it’s expected to be bustling, catering to both business and leisure travelers, especially during the Spring break period.
OAK outpaces San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) by over 50 flights this month, with 149 scheduled flights from LAX. Southwest competes with Delta Connection and Alaska Airlines flights, further enhancing the connectivity between the Los Angeles area and the Bay Area.
Most routes are served by all three variants of the Boeing 737, while transpacific flights have transitioned exclusively to the MAX 8.