Southwest Airlines will be serving the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport starting spring 2021, bringing to Santa Barbarans the opportunity to travel to a vast network of destinations.
The airline also intends to serve Fresno in 2021, so long as factors like the COVID-19 pandemic or extreme weather don’t get in the way. Along with Palm Springs, which received its first Southwest flight on November 19, 2020, the addition of Santa Barbara and Fresno will position Southwest Airlines as an option in 13 California airports before summer 2021.
“We salute Southwest’s bold decision to enter one of the most vibrant and beautiful regions in California, bringing visitors to our sweeping coastline to experience our mild Mediterranean climate and distinctive Spanish-influenced architecture,” said Mayor Cathy Murillo. “For our residents, our partnership with Southwest will energize the economic rebound to come in 2021.”
The airline has not said yet which cities it would serve from Santa Barbara, or how often. Southwest’s major connecting airports in the Western United States include Oakland, Phoenix, and Denver.