Southwest Airlines to Offer Service between MSP and Houston Hobby

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL – Minnesotans will soon have another way to connect with the 4th largest city in the United States. Southwest Airlines will launch new service between Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) in early 2021. Southwest will begin the daily MSP-HOU flights on March 11, 2021 using Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Southwest will be the first carrier to serve Houston Hobby.

Delta and United currently serve Houston via the city’s other airport, Bush Intercontinental (IAH).

Houston was the 21st largest domestic market from MSP in 2019, averaging 460 passengers per day, or 168,000 passengers annually.

“The Southwest expansion at MSP brings a new airport and even more flight options to Houston and southeast Texas,” said Brian Ryks, CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which operates MSP. “Houston Hobby will also provide additional connecting opportunities on Southwest to their network of international destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America.”

“As airlines work to align their route networks with post-pandemic realities, it’s great to see them choosing MSP for new service,” said MAC Chair Rick King. “The addition of Southwest to the Houston market adds new pricing and connection options both for leisure travelers and the business community.”

Houston Hobby will be Southwest’s 15th destination from MSP, although the airline has temporarily suspended service to many of those cities during the pandemic. The airline currently serves three destinations: Chicago Midway, Denver and Phoenix from MSP. In 2019, Southwest averaged 22 daily departures. MSP is currently averaging 300 total daily departures in October, up from 286 in September. Airlines are operating 136 routes, up seven routes from September.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) owns and operates one of the nation’s largest airport systems, including Minneapolis-St Paul International (MSP) and six general aviation airports. The MAC’s airports connect the region to the world and showcase Minnesota’s extraordinary culture to millions of passengers from around the globe who arrive or depart through MAC airports each year. Though a public corporation of the state of Minnesota, the organization is not funded by income or property taxes. Instead, the MAC’s operations are funded by rents and fees generated by users of its airports. For more information, visit www.metroairports.org