Southwest Austin international flights: 2027 guide

Southwest plans to add three new nonstop international routes from Austin in summer 2027. The airline is selling weekend flights to Nassau in the Bahamas, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Liberia in Costa Rica.

The schedule is narrow. Austin-Bergstrom says the broader summer program runs from June 3 through August 2, 2027, but these international flights operate on Saturdays and Sundays. The airport's live destination list gives June 5, the first Saturday in that window, as the start date for all three routes.

*Original AI-generated OpenSim editorial illustration. The unbranded aircraft and composite landscape are illustrative, not a photograph of a current flight or a literal destination layout.*

The practical answer: These routes can remove a connection for an Austin traveler, but twice-weekly service leaves little recovery room. Search both directions for the exact dates, confirm the airport code, and avoid locking in a nonrefundable resort or transfer until the flights are ticketed.

This guide was checked on October 3, 2026, one day after Austin-Bergstrom announced the routes.

The three routes are planned for weekends only

Austin-Bergstrom's October 2 announcement describes all three as new, seasonal and nonstop. It also says they were the only nonstop links between Austin and these destinations when announced.

The airport says each route will operate twice weekly. Its nonstop destination list marks all three as bookable and starting June 5.

The June 3 to August 2 dates describe Southwest's peak summer schedule window. They are not a promise of a flight on the Thursday at the start or the Monday at the end. Under the published Saturday and Sunday pattern, the first operating weekend is June 5 and 6, while the last full weekend inside the window is July 31 and August 1.

Southwest and the airport have not published flight numbers, local times or an aircraft type in the announcement. Use the booking result and issued itinerary for those details.

Weekend flights limit the trip shapes that work

Two departures a week can suit a one-night weekend, a six or seven-night stay, or a longer trip that returns on a later weekend. They are less forgiving if a traveler needs to leave midweek.

Search the outbound and return together before choosing accommodation. A destination appearing in the route map does not mean Southwest flies it every day, and a low fare on one leg does not prove that a workable nonstop exists for the other.

If you plan to position into Austin on a separate ticket, allow a large buffer. A delay on the first booking may not protect the international ticket, and a missed Saturday or Sunday departure could mean waiting days, accepting a connecting itinerary or buying a new fare. One itinerary is usually easier to recover than two unrelated reservations.

Choose by airport, not only by country

The Costa Rica flight uses Liberia's Guanacaste Airport, not San José. Guanacaste Airport says it is about 12 kilometres west of downtown Liberia and lists authorized taxis, private vehicles and public buses on its location and transport page. It can be a practical gateway for parts of northwestern Costa Rica, but it is not interchangeable with San José International Airport.

Nassau service arrives at Lynden Pindling International Airport on New Providence. Confirm whether the hotel is in Nassau, on Paradise Island or on another island. A nonstop flight to NAS does not include an onward ferry, domestic flight or resort transfer.

Punta Cana service arrives at PUJ, which is useful for the eastern resort area. A booking elsewhere in the Dominican Republic may still require a substantial ground transfer. Compare the full airport-to-hotel journey alongside the flight.

International check-in starts with the passport

Southwest says travelers can add passport information to a reservation before travel. At check-in, eligible customers can scan a passport in the app, or have it verified at a Southwest counter or kiosk. A boarding pass becomes available after the required document check.

There is an important exception. Southwest's current international booking and check-in guidance says customers traveling to or from Punta Cana cannot check in online. A Punta Cana traveler should plan for the airport process even with carry-on baggage only.

Use Austin-Bergstrom's current travel and security guidance closer to departure. Leave time for document verification, bag acceptance, security and the walk to the gate. The issued itinerary and any day-of-travel airline message take priority over a general article.

Entry steps differ by destination

Passport and visa rules depend on nationality, residence, trip length and recent travel. The notes below are starting points, not a substitute for the authority that applies to the traveler.

For the Bahamas, the US State Department's country page says US tourists arriving by air generally need a valid passport and proof of anticipated departure. Travelers using another passport should check the Bahamas immigration requirements that apply to them.

Costa Rica's official entry requirements call for a valid passport and proof of return or onward travel. The permitted stay and any visa requirement depend on nationality, and immigration makes the entry decision.

The Dominican Republic requires an electronic entry and exit form. Its General Directorate of Migration says the e-ticket is mandatory for each passenger and is completed online. Use the government portal linked from that page rather than a paid lookalike service.

Recheck every requirement before travel. A rule verified in October 2026 can change before a June 2027 flight.

Southwest's bag rules depend on the fare

Do not rely on the airline's old two-free-bags reputation. Southwest's current checked baggage policy says bag fees apply, subject to fare, status, card and other exceptions.

Southwest's optional charges table shows that the allowance changes by fare and traveler benefit. Choice Extra currently includes two checked bags, while qualifying status or card benefits can change the allowance. Price the exact international itinerary rather than applying a domestic fee table to it.

The standard checked-bag limits are 50 pounds and 62 total linear inches. International destinations can also have baggage embargoes. Treat the allowance displayed with the selected fare and itinerary as the booking-specific answer, then check it again before departure.

Mobile data for the destination you choose

OpenSim currently lists country plans for the Bahamas, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. A compatible travel eSIM can provide ground data for airline alerts, accommodation messages, maps and prearranged transfers after arrival.

The public catalog was checked on October 3, 2026. Compare the selected package's allowance, validity, speed policy, hotspot support, activation rule and top-up eligibility before paying. Not every plan is reloadable, and an eSIM does not provide service through an aircraft's onboard system.

Install the eSIM on reliable Wi-Fi before departure if its activation rule permits. Keep the hotel address, return booking, transfer details and required entry forms available offline as well.

Ten questions about Southwest's Austin international flights

When do the new Southwest international flights from Austin start?

The airport's route list gives June 5, 2027, for Nassau, Punta Cana and Liberia. June 3 is the start of the wider peak-summer schedule window, not the first Saturday on which these weekend routes can operate.

Which international destinations is Southwest adding from Austin?

Nassau in the Bahamas, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Liberia in Costa Rica. The airport codes are NAS, PUJ and LIR respectively.

How often will Southwest fly each route?

Twice weekly, on Saturdays and Sundays, under the announced plan. Search the exact dates because seasonal inventory can vary and future schedules can change.

Can I take a nonstop home on a weekday?

Not under the published Saturday and Sunday pattern. A midweek return may require a connection, another airline or a trip date change. Check that before reserving accommodation.

What are the flight numbers, times and aircraft?

The announcement does not specify them. Read the live Southwest booking result and issued itinerary instead of relying on an unconfirmed third-party timetable or aircraft listing.

Do I need a passport for these flights?

Yes, a valid passport book is required for international air travel from the United States. Visa, validity, onward-ticket and form requirements depend on the destination and the traveler's nationality.

Can I check in online for an Austin to Punta Cana flight?

Southwest's current policy says no for travel to or from Punta Cana. Plan to complete the required airport check-in and document verification even if you have only carry-on baggage.

How early should I arrive at Austin-Bergstrom?

Follow the current airport and airline recommendation for the exact departure. Build in extra time for passport verification, bags and security rather than arriving on a domestic-flight routine.

Does Southwest still include two free checked bags?

Not for every fare. Current rules charge for checked bags on Basic, Choice and Choice Preferred unless a status, card or other exception applies. Choice Extra currently includes two. Check the fare display for the itinerary.

What if Southwest changes or cancels one of these limited flights?

Use the airline's notification and manage-booking tools, and review the options Southwest provides for that itinerary. Twice-weekly service may make same-route recovery difficult, so avoid a separate onward booking with no buffer and keep flexible accommodation or transfer terms where practical.

Before booking

• Search both directions and make sure each nonstop falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
• Match the airport code to the intended destination: NAS, PUJ or LIR.
• Confirm that the result is nonstop rather than a same-airline connection.
• Read the local times, flight numbers and operating details in the live itinerary.
• Budget for the fare's actual bag charges and seat rules.
• Check passport validity, visa rules, onward proof and destination forms.
• Allow more time at Austin for an international document check.
• Treat Punta Cana as an airport check-in trip under the current policy.
• Avoid an unprotected separate-ticket connection with a tight buffer.
• Keep entry forms, hotel details and transfer confirmations offline.

Source check for the Austin routes

Austin-Bergstrom supports the route pairs, nonstop status, weekend frequency, summer window and on-sale claim. Its destination list supports June 5 as the first listed date. Southwest supports the current passport, Punta Cana check-in and baggage guidance.

Government and official tourism pages support the destination entry notes. Public traveler discussions were used to select questions about airport check-in, passport verification, bags, separate tickets and schedule recovery. They were not treated as authority for routes, airline rules or border requirements.

We will update this guide if Southwest changes the launch date, operating days, season, booking status, check-in rules or baggage policy, and again before the first planned weekend of service.

*Airline, airport, government, destination, traveler-question and OpenSim catalog sources were reviewed on October 3, 2026.*