Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is adding a tropical new destination: The Caribbean. According to a release, the carrier intends to add new service at Cyril E. King International Airport (STT) on St. Thomas, in U.S. Virgin Islands, with service expected to begin in early 2026, subject to governmental approvals, and available for purchase soon.

Southwest Airlines president and CEO Bob Jordan says in a statement that the new service is in response to customer demand.

"We are listening closely to what our Customers want—from new products and loyalty benefits to new destinations," Jordan says. "We want to make Southwest Airlines the easy and obvious choice every time, and this is another meaningful step in our ongoing transformation."

About 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands comprise a U.S. territory in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The three islands are St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, where the capital of Charlotte Amalie is located. The U.S. Virgin Islands, which is on Eastern Standard Time, features world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture, and a burgeoning restaurant industry.

Perhaps best of all, no passports are required from U.S. citizens traveling from the U.S. or Puerto Rico.

There are currently flights to St. Thomas from DFW Airport, flown by American Airlines, Delta, and Spirit. A nonstop flight from DFW to St. Thomas is a little under 5 hours.

St. Thomas is the first of three new destinations for 2026 the carrier expects to announce this summer. It will be the ninth island destination served by Southwest in the Atlantic Basin – joining Aruba, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Southwest also offers international service to Belize, two destinations in Costa Rica, and three destinations in Mexico.

In addition to offering new destinations, Southwest also is set to begin selling assigned and premium seating in the third quarter of this year and plans to operate with its new fare bundles and a reconfigured fleet, including extra legroom seating, in the first quarter of 2026.