Southwest's O'Hare and Houston Intercontinental routes shut down within three years
Southwest Airlines entered Chicago O'Hare and returned to Houston George Bush Intercontinental in 2021, but both services have since ended, the O'Hare exit announced alongside a pullout from Washington Dulles.
On February 14, 2021, Southwest Airlines began service at Chicago O'Hare International Airport with 20 daily departures. That same year it returned to Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport, ending a 16-year absence.
Both entries happened because pandemic conditions had left gates open at airports the carrier could not normally access, according to the account. The Houston service ended on August 4, 2024. The O'Hare operation ended on June 4, a date announced alongside a simultaneous exit from Washington Dulles.
Neither move lasted beyond three years.
Sources
- simpleflying.comThe Factors That Led To Southwest Airlines' Unsurvivability At Chicago & Houston's Largest Airports