Southwest Airlines has opened formal negotiations with its pilots and flight attendants to clear the way for new international flights beyond the Americas, a sharp shift in strategy the company aims to begin shaping in late August 2025. The airline confirmed that talks with the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) and the Transport Workers Union Local 556 (TWU 556) are underway, with negotiating teams and subject matter experts set to meet with company officials the week of August 25, 2025. The discussions center on contract amendments and operational rules needed to fly longer routes to Europe and Asia, a first for a carrier known for point-to-point flying within the United States and short-haul trips to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Union leaders say the process has started but no deal is in place. SWAPA President Jody Reven said “several teams will meet with Southwest to hear their goals and coordinate what steps should be taken next,” describing a staged approach as the airline lays out its plan. TWU 556 confirmed the talks and said it is gathering member input on the changes that long-haul flying would require. As of August 24, 2025, both unions say the negotiations are active and still in the early review phase.
Scope of the proposal and regulatory steps
The scope of Southwest’s proposal is broad. Company officials have told union teams that future international flights would use the airline’s Boeing 737 MAX fleet, with SWAPA pilots operating the routes.
While the company has never flown transatlantic or transpacific routes, management is now exploring that expansion as part of a wider business reset launched this year. In May 2025, Southwest asked the U.S. Department of Transportation for blanket authority to serve countries that have open skies agreements with the United States. That regulatory step would let the carrier publish schedules once it completes labor and operational work.
- The DOT filing runs in parallel to the union talks; it does not replace the need for contract changes.
- Readers can track rulemaking and approvals at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s official site: https://www.transportation.gov/
Product and network changes supporting longer trips
Southwest has already introduced several product shifts in 2025 designed to support longer trips and improved revenue opportunities:
- Assigned seating
- Redeye flights
- Extra legroom options
- Basic economy fares
- Checked bag fees
- New vacation packages
The airline also added new network points, including service to the U.S. Virgin Islands planned for early 2026, and formed interline agreements with Icelandair and China Airlines. Those partnerships allow combined bookings across carriers but are not a substitute for Southwest-operated long-haul routes.
What the negotiations cover
The contract talks focus on how to run longer flights safely and fairly without eroding the hard rules that protect crew rest and pay. According to union briefings and company updates, negotiators are reviewing:
- Scheduling rules for long-duty days and time-zone shifts
- Rest requirements between flights and on layovers
- Pay scales that match longer stage lengths and added duties
- Operational procedures for overseas flying, including training and dispatch
- Seniority and bidding rules that may govern who flies international trips
Both unions have formed committees and engaged subject matter experts to meet with the company and report back to members. The work plan lays out a step-by-step approach:
- Identify gaps in current contracts.
- Draft language to cover long-haul operations.
- Gather member feedback via surveys and webinars.
- Move any tentative deal to a ratification vote.
The airline will continue regulatory filings while mapping training plans, aircraft needs, and the order in which new markets might launch.
Key point: Both unions and management emphasize that safety remains non-negotiable as they write the rules.
Why the timing matters / projected timeline
Southwest’s timeline points to first routes outside the Americas as early as 2026, but several steps must come first. The path outlined by union and company sources includes:
- Talks start with SWAPA and TWU 556 to define needed contract changes.
- Committee meetings begin the week of August 25, 2025, to review management goals and request data.
- Draft language is written for scheduling, rest, pay, and procedures and reviewed with safety and training leaders.
- Member input is collected through surveys and webinars.
- Tentative agreements go to ratification votes.
- Regulatory filings continue at the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- Operational planning for crew training, route launches, and aircraft readiness.
- Public announcements follow once agreements and approvals are in hand.
The airline’s labor picture extends beyond pilots and flight attendants. IAM District 142, which represents customer service and ground operations at Southwest, is involved in related bargaining on work rules that could touch international stations and support roles.
Union contacts and regular updates (webinars, briefings) are being provided to members as the process moves forward.
Employee and customer impacts
For employees:
– Changes could affect schedules, trip bidding, pay scales, and rest protections on longer-haul days.
– Union leaders say they will guard safety margins and fair compensation.
– Preferential consideration for current employees is expected for staffing international assignments, likely drawing strong interest from crews.
For customers:
– The airline has flagged new destinations, fare products, and loyalty features tied to longer trips and partner connections.
– No Southwest-operated long-haul international flights have been announced yet; final schedules depend on labor negotiations and regulatory approvals.
Aircraft choice and operational limits
Southwest plans to use the Boeing 737 MAX for international flights. That decision:
- Favors medium-haul routes rather than the longest transoceanic markets.
- Will shape which European or Asian cities are feasible from U.S. gateways based on range, winds, and payload.
- Means specific target cities are not yet named; those decisions are downstream from the current contract work.
Open operational questions
Several practical issues remain to be resolved; answers will shape crew work life and schedule reliability:
- How will long-haul duty days mesh with existing reserve and line-bidding systems?
- What rest protections and hotel standards will apply on overseas layovers?
- How will pay scales map to longer stage lengths and added preflight duties?
- What training will pilots and flight attendants get for oceanic procedures and new equipment features?
- How will irregular operations—diversions or delays—be handled on international trips?
Industry watchers stress that getting these elements right is critical to avoid cancellations, fatigue risks, or operational strain.
Commercial partnerships and interim measures
Southwest continues to grow commercial ties that can support the strategy while its own international flying is developed:
- Interline partnerships in 2025 with Icelandair and China Airlines allow travelers to book combined itineraries.
- These deals can bridge gaps and feed traffic into future Southwest-operated routes.
Leadership positions and bargaining posture
Company leadership has backed the push. CEO Bob Jordan has publicly supported the expansion, framing it as part of a larger reset of product and network.
Unions have adopted a cautious but cooperative stance:
– Hear management’s plan.
– Test it against contract rules and safety needs.
– Bring any deal to a membership vote.
This reflects recent years of bargaining at Southwest, where SWAPA, TWU 556, and IAM District 142 have moved through multiple tentative agreements and ratifications on operational issues.
Current message and next steps
For now, the message to customers is steady:
– No new long-haul international flights have been announced.
– Any final schedule depends on the outcome of labor negotiations and regulatory approvals.
– The airline says it will share destination plans once agreements are ratified and training and aircraft plans are ready.
Union leaders advise members to expect the heavy drafting and review work to run through late 2025, with a clearer picture possible by the fourth quarter if drafting and votes stay on track.
Even with many open items, the strategic intent is clear: Southwest Airlines is transitioning from a North America–focused model toward one that can reach Europe and Asia. The company has set legal and product groundwork, signaled aircraft plans, and opened negotiations with the unions that must sign off on how the work gets done.
For pilots and flight attendants, these negotiations will decide the rules for safety, rest, pay, and bidding for new flying. For travelers, they are the gate between today’s network and a wider map in 2026 and beyond.
This Article in a Nutshell
Southwest started formal talks with pilot and flight-attendant unions in late August 2025 to enable Boeing 737 MAX flights to Europe and Asia. The negotiation covers scheduling, rest, pay, training, and operational rules, while a DOT filing seeks regulatory authority. If labor and approvals succeed, Southwest aims for initial routes in 2026.
