Southwest reportedly weighs Boeing 787s for long-haul international service

Southwest Airlines is looking at whether to add widebody aircraft for long-haul international routes, with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner central to the talks, according to a Reuters report citing three people familiar with the matter.

The carrier has examined dozens of Dreamliners and a launch window of roughly three years, the report said. Leased or second-hand aircraft are among the options. No decision on aircraft has been reached.

Southwest told Reuters it had nothing to announce about its fleet plans. "We do not have any news forthcoming related to our fleet plans," the airline said.

Buying 787s would take Southwest beyond the all-Boeing 737 fleet it operates today. Its fleet strategy has centred on newer versions of the narrowbody. In 2024 it set a goal of flying only 737 MAX aircraft by the end of 2031, phasing out older 737-700s and 737-800s.

In recent years Southwest has widened its international reach through partnerships rather than its own long-haul aircraft. Its first such tie-up, with Icelandair, began carrying connecting passengers through Baltimore in February 2025 and later added Denver and Nashville, Tennessee.

The arrangement lets travellers book Southwest and Icelandair flights on a single itinerary and check bags through to their final destination. Southwest has also struck partnerships with other international carriers, among them China Airlines, EVA Air and Turkish Airlines.