SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Southwest Airlines is set to expand its slate of nonstop routes through San Diego International Airport as soon as the first crop of gates opens in the new Terminal 1 later this year.
The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority announced Friday the airline will begin offering a twice daily route to Fresno Yosemite International Airport beginning on Oct. 2, shortly after the $3.8 billion construction project is set to wrap up its first phase.
The new route will supplement Southwest’s plans to expand service to other parts of the county — including Tampa, Florida; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Columbus, Ohio; and San Joe Del Cabo, Mexico — in October with the debut of the new Terminal 1.
“The announcement of these new routes from our New T1 is extremely exciting as we work towards the opening of the first phase,” Kimberly Becker, president and CEO of San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, said in a release on the new route. “We look forward to welcoming travelers into our new terminal as they experience it for the first time.”
What to know as San Diego airport nears end of first phase in Terminal 1 revamp
Southwest, which has long operated out of Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport, will be one of several carriers to move over to the new terminal with its opening in September 2025, joining Frontier, Sun Country, Spirit, Breeze, JetBlue and Allegiant.
Air Canada, WestJet and Delta will also begin operations in the building later on in its phased opening, according to the airport authority.
Ahead of the new terminal’s opening, which will have more than double the number of gates as the existing Terminal 1, many of the major airlines that operate in San Diego have announced additions or enhancements to their service.
Most recently, Alaska Airlines announced a new nonstop flight to Medford, Oregon slated to begin in May 2025.
Construction, however, remains ongoing at the new terminal. Travelers headed to the airport in the meantime are encouraged to plan ahead for work-related delays getting in and out of the Terminal 1 area of the airport.
“We are also enormously grateful to our partnering airlines and loyal customers who have supported us during the construction of the New T1,” Becker said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.