Southwest expands Nashville’s 2026 flight schedule with new international routes and added domestic frequencies

Expanded March 2026 service adds five destinations and boosts peak-day departures at Nashville International Airport

Southwest Airlines has added new Nashville service to its March 2026 schedule, introducing five destinations and increasing flight frequencies on several existing routes. The changes are set to begin in early March 2026 and coincide with the carrier’s broader network adjustments for the spring travel period.

The new nonstop destinations from Nashville International Airport (BNA) are split between international leisure markets and shorter-haul domestic routes. Saturday-only international service is scheduled to begin March 7, 2026, linking Nashville with Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ), and San José, Costa Rica (SJO). On the domestic side, service is scheduled to begin March 6, 2026, with twice-daily flights to Knoxville, Tennessee (TYS), and Little Rock, Arkansas (LIT), plus Saturday-only service to Montrose, Colorado (MTJ), a market associated with seasonal ski travel.

In addition to the new destinations, Southwest has indicated it is increasing frequencies to multiple existing markets during the March 5 through April 6, 2026, period. Among the highlights, Nashville–Cancun (CUN) is slated to operate nine times weekly during that window, alongside added service to Birmingham (BHM), Cincinnati (CVG), Indianapolis (IND), Memphis (MEM), Louisville (SDF), Oklahoma City (OKC), and Tulsa (TUL).

In-state and regional connectivity: Knoxville and Little Rock additions

The new Nashville–Knoxville route adds a second intrastate city-pair for Southwest in Tennessee, complementing the airline’s existing Nashville–Memphis service. Southwest also plans to launch service at Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport in March 2026, including twice-daily Knoxville–Nashville flights, positioning Nashville as a key connection point within the airline’s Tennessee network.

For Little Rock, Southwest’s spring 2026 plan includes twice-daily service on the Little Rock–Nashville route starting March 5, 2026, aligning with the carrier’s focus on adding repeatable frequencies in select mid-continent corridors.

Capacity implications at BNA

With the additions and frequency increases, Southwest is scheduled to reach 190 peak-day departures from Nashville, described as the highest level in the airline’s history at the airport. The scale of the schedule underscores Nashville’s role as a major station for Southwest and reflects continued airline capacity growth tied to seasonal travel demand and expanding route options.

• New Nashville routes starting March 2026: Montego Bay (Saturday-only), San José, Costa Rica (Saturday-only), Knoxville (twice daily), Little Rock (twice daily), Montrose (Saturday-only).

• Examples of added frequencies: Cancun up to nine weekly flights, plus increases to Birmingham, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Memphis, Louisville, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa.

Service launch dates and operating patterns vary by destination, with several routes planned as Saturday-only seasonal offerings during the March–early April 2026 schedule period.