Southwest Airlines is once again expanding in Austin. The Dallas, Texas based carrier announced plans to significantly increase its presence in the Texas capital, adding more than 2,000 new jobs.
Southwest Airlines Expands Footprint in Austin
On December 12, 2025, Southwest Airlines unveiled a major expansion plan in Austin that will bring an estimated 2,000 high-paying jobs to the Austin area. Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Southwest CEO Bob Jordan made the announcement during a ceremony at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).
According to representatives from Southwest and the state, the average anticipated wage of these positions is expected to be roughly $180,000. The announcement comes one day after the Austin City Council voted unanimously to move forward with an incentive program for the carrier to support its expansion efforts at the airport.
Council documents stated that the city will propose a jobs-based award of $2,750 per job hired if the person lives in the city of Austin. The incentive program would run for five years and could pay the airline as much as $5.5 million.
In addition to the investment in employees, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan stated that the airline is looking to secure between 18 and 20 gates at the airport once expansion projects are complete. This is expected to allow the airline to operate oner 200 daily flights.
Austin Will Get a Crew Base in 2026
As part of the announcement, Southwest revealed that a new crew base will open in Austin as of March 2026. The new base will initially launch with roughly 335 pilots and 650 flight attendants, supported by additional leadership and operational staff. By mid-2027, that number is expected to grow to approximately 2,000 employees. Southwest also plans to build a recurring training facility for flight attendants, in Austin.
Bob Jordan, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Vice Chairman of the Board at Southwest, had this to say about the expansion:
“This investment demonstrates our commitment to Austin and to our Customers. As the largest carrier at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, we appreciate the vision of Governor Abbott and Mayor Watson in clearing the way for Austin to become an even bigger part of our future.”
Southwest is currently Austin’s largest airline and it operates more than 130 peak daily flights to more than 50 destinations from the Central Texas airport. The airline says its decision to establish a crew base in Austin follows months of analysis and coordination with both city leaders and the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office. It is worth noting that Southwest previously had a satellite flight attendant base in Austin that it closed in July 2025.
Beyond boosting its operational reliability in the region, the airline plans to deepen its community partnerships by expanding work with Austin Workforce Solutions and AUS’s youth internship and career-development programs.
My Thoughts
As an Austin resident, it is great to see the investment in the city from Southwest. The carrier has long been the dominant airline in Austin but Delta has been making inroads in recent years, going as far as to designate Austin as a focus city.
The two carriers have been battling it out for space and, with gates at a premium, the current terminal is way over capacity. Delta is also looking to dramatically increase its gate and lounge space as more airport upgrades come online and both seem poised for a long, drawn out battle for the top spot.
To its credit, Delta regional partner SkyWest opened a crew base in Austin last year and a mainline flight attendant base was opened in late 2025. For Austin residents, the future looks bright for our air service opportunities.
Summary
Southwest Airlines is doubling down on its Central Texas footprint, announcing a new Pilot and Flight Attendant base at AUS which will open in March 2026. The new facility will bring up to 2,000 jobs, expanded training facilities, and even more nonstop routes as Austin’s largest airline charts its next phase of growth. Delta will certainly be watching.