Southwest Airlines Completes Next Step of Integration with AirTran Airways

Southwest aircraft parked in Seattle

Southwest Airlines completed its next stage of integration with AirTran Airways.  Passengers will now be able to purchase tickets to any of the airlines’ combined 97 destinations with one transaction, regardless of carrier.

Southwest Airlines first acquired AirTran Airways on May 2, 2011.  The airlines first began connecting their networks on January 26, 2013, when they began offering limited connected itineraries in five separate markets.

With the connected networks, passengers can now use Southwest booking channels to add one or more AirTran domestic flight segments to a Southwest itinerary, book one or more Southwest flight segments connecting to an AirTran itinerary, and use all Southwest channels to book an AirTran domestic itinerary.  In addition, passengers can also earn points and miles in each airline’s loyalty programs when they fly on either carrier.  Southwest launched connected itineraries in 39 cities on February 25 of this year.

The airline has converted 11 of AirTran’s Boeing 737-700 aircraft to its own design and interior configuration.  Southwest has also begun serving five AirTran Airways cities.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)