Southwest Wings Its Way to Europe: Essential Insights for Travelers

Southwest Airlines’ intended growth into Europe is rapidly taking shape. 

The airline based in Dallas, TX recently informed Travel + Leisure that it has formally entered into a collaborative commercial agreement with Icelandair to initiate services between the two carriers starting in February 2025. The first flights by Icelandair will depart from Baltimore, MD (BWI) airport to Reykjavik, Iceland, although an exact date within February has not been revealed. 

Upon arriving in Iceland, flyers can connect to cities including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, Paris, Prague, and various other locations across Europe within Icelandair’s network. Best of all, these flights will function as codeshare flights, meaning a traveler can check their baggage through to their final destination. 

Following the initiation of the Baltimore link, Southwest intends to introduce a similar connection service to both Denver International Airport and Nashville International Airport as further North American entry points.

For instance, a traveler might fly from Chicago to Baltimore on Southwest, and then make a connection in Baltimore to Icelandair. The traveler will only need to check their luggage once, and will have a single itinerary for the complete trip, despite involving two airlines. This mirrors agreements where United Airlines collaborates with Lufthansa or Air Canada for specific international routes. 

Icelandair is also recognized for its stopover initiative, which offers travelers the chance to visit Iceland for up to a week at no additional fare. The airline notes that it provides an uncomplicated approach to exploring two destinations for the cost of one. 

“In addition to enabling each other’s customers to access new locations and similar travel experiences focused on hospitality and value, we appreciate their guidance and best practices in developing our program,” stated Ryan Greer, Chief Transformation Officer of Southwest Airlines, at the signing ceremony. 

Southwest had previously revealed its plans for European expansion in September 2024 during an Investor Day.