Josh ranks Southwest focus cities for possible international long haul flights. He then compares aircraft options that Southwest might use.
What the video covers
Written in our own words. It only describes what the video shows and says.Josh ranks Southwest focus cities from east to west by their chances of getting international long distance service, then discusses aircraft. The rankings are under the assumption that Europe is the initial focus, and Southwest has not announced exact destinations.
City rankings for long distance service
Josh gives Baltimore 9.5 out of 10 and names four reasons: a metro population just shy of 3 million, almost 18 million passengers handled in the past year, about 72 percent of total traffic, around 230 daily departures to 82 destinations, and favourable transatlantic geography. He notes that Southwest CEO Bob Jordan described Baltimore as a natural starting point. The main challenge is attracting travellers who already use Dulles, especially higher spending customers in Northern Virginia. Fort Lauderdale receives 5 out of 10, with its strongest opportunity being European vacationers into South Florida and local residents overseas. Orlando receives 8.5 out of 10 because theme parks and resorts give Europeans reasons to visit, while the airport is not home to one of the Big Three hubs. Tampa receives 6 out of 10, based on Gulf Coast holidays, family visits, and residents avoiding a drive to Orlando. Atlanta receives 4 out of 10 because Delta has a well established network and Southwest's operation there is smaller than at other focus cities.
More city rankings and airport constraints
Nashville receives 8 out of 10, with Southwest's summer 2027 schedule calling for up to 220 trips, and the airport currently flying only to London, Dublin, and Iceland. Josh gives Chicago Midway 1 out of 10, saying its longest runway is around 6,500 feet, while widebodies like the 787 typically require 8,000 to 10,000 feet for a relatively full aircraft, and gates are not designed for larger aircraft. Josh also gives scores for New Orleans, St. Louis, Kansas City, Houston Hobby, Dallas Love Field, Austin, San Antonio, Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego, Ontario, Burbank, LAX, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, and Honolulu. Dallas Love Field receives zero because federal law prohibits passenger nonstops beyond the 50 states and DC, while Honolulu receives 1 out of 10 because there are no direct flights from Hawaii to Europe.
Aircraft options and 787 delivery
Josh says that Southwest operates an all Boeing 737 fleet and that the CEO recently dismissed reports that the carrier favours the 787, calling the claim premature. He says the Airbus A330neo would be the strongest direct alternative, offering capacity and range for a substantial network to Europe, but with less range flexibility than the 787-9 and new training and maintenance needs. He says the A321XLR would allow a smaller initial commitment, fewer passengers per departure, easier thin transatlantic routes, and a smaller airport footprint. He says the newly certified 737-10 has significantly less range. Josh says most believe the 787-9 at around 270 seats or the 787-8 at around 240 seats would balance capacity and expansion. He adds that 787 production is booked through the end of the decade, so a new direct order could leave Southwest waiting until the early 2030s, and that leasing or leasing company delivery positions are avenues reportedly explored.
