Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan has made some of the strongest comments that carriers plan to enter long-distance international spaces in the coming years.
“Everything is on the table” said his bystander at the American Chamber of Commerce’s annual aerospace summit in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday – a lounge, a truly premium product, especially Southwest’s long-distance international flight.
Jordan further suggests that a decision may soon be coming in the case of new aircraft orders. He added that given the years-long backlog of aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing, the Southwest needs to order a plane that can spread intercontinental flights within next or two years, if it wants to do flights in the early 2030s.
Extended: Southwest Soft Software launched long seats on all Hawaiian flights, nearly half of the planes
However, travelers are better off not hoping to bring hope to the southwest dream.
“Don’t be surprised if we first take a more risk-resistant route and choose a narrow body for long-haul flights,” Jordan told investors at a meeting at the Morgan Stanley Laguna on Thursday.
Airbus produces the only new long-range narrow body on the market, namely the A321LR and the long-term A321XLR. Aer Lingus, Iberia, JetBlue Airways and SAS Scandinavian Airlines all fly between the United States and Europe.
“The biggest transformation in Southwest’s history”
The Southwest is undergoing a massive overhaul of its business. The full economy, open airline based in the U.S. domestic market, has long been concentrated in the domestic market, and the Dallas-based airline launched its first-ever bagged fee in May and is allocating seats and selling premium premium seats for flights starting in January 2026.
“We are in the biggest turn in Southwest’s history,” Jordan said.
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Investor pressure is driving these changes, but they are at the cost of Southwest’s long-standing maverick in the U.S. market. Critics believe the Southwest is losing differentiation of its products from other U.S. industries, warning that changes could cost IT customers.
Asked if Southwest lost its uniqueness, Jordan said: “The advantages of the Southwest are incredible and remain intact.”
International partners, maybe flying
Southwest Airlines is adding partners abroad. The list already includes Chinese airlines, Eva Airlines and Iceland Airlines, which Jordan said on Thursday was on the verge of announcing more partners.
Earlier this year, Southwest Airlines officially joined the global airline IATA. The move sends a signal to the industry that the Southwest is serious about the international market.
What’s in the southwest no What is done is adding long distance routes. It could fly between New England and Western Europe if you want, while Boeing had the largest 837 and the highest 8 in the fleet; Norwegian did this in the late 2010s, then cancelled the route to a larger restructuring of its business.
The maximum 8 can fly 4,000 miles, or about the distance from the southwest large Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) base and Frankfurt Airport (FRA). Given the need for fuel reserves, any commercial flight could be shorter.
The longest flight from Phoenix Skyport International Airport (PHX) to Honolulu’s Daniel Inoye International Airport (HNL) is 2,917 miles.
Wall Street analysts speculate that Southwest’s first European destination might be Iceland’s Keflavik International Airport (KEF), where it can connect to Iceland Airlines’ partners flying to Europe.
Southwest does require approval from its pilots and flight attendants before adding new long-haul flights, according to Aviation Week.
“We know we have some clients who want something we can’t offer – like lounges, like real premiums, like Long-Haul International,” Jordan said. He continued that under his leadership, the Southwest will continue to “push” to meet the needs of its customers.
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