Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. announced today that it will add nonstop service from Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee to Houston.
Beginning March 8, 2018, Southwest will offer nonstop flights daily between the two cities.
United Airlines currently offers nonstop flights from Milwaukee to its hub at Houston Intercontinental Airport.
Southwest’s Milwaukee service will be to its hub at Houston Hobby Airport.
“Houston is an important business and leisure market from MKE, and this new nonstop service will allow more travelers to fly to Houston from our hometown airport,” Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele said. “These new flights also allow for easy connections to Latin America and the Caribbean via Southwest’s new international gateway at Houston’s Hobby Airport.”
Passenger traffic has been on the rise lately at Mitchell International. For the first five months of the year (the most recent information available), passenger traffic at the airport was up 2.3 percent to 2.8 million. About 6.8 million passengers traveled through Milwaukee’s airport in 2016, up 3.2 percent from 2015.
The increased traffic at the airport is attracting additional service from several airlines.
Frontier Airlines recently announced a major expansion of its network, including the addition of daily nonstop service from General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee to Miami and to Tampa, Florida, beginning this fall.
Allegiant announced recently that it would enter the Milwaukee market and provide nonstop service from here to Phoenix and several destinations in Florida.
Alaska Airlines recently launched direct service from Milwaukee to Portland, Oregon.
In May, Southwest Airlines announced it would add service from Milwaukee to Nashville and from Milwaukee to Cleveland.
In March, Mexican airline Volaris began offering direct flights from Milwaukee to Guadalajara, Mexico.
The April 3 cover story of BizTimes Milwaukee profiled airport director Ismael “Izzy” Bonilla and his plans to attract more flights and make improvements to the airport.
