Flyin' High

Southwest Airlines adds international flights — but not from Houston (yet)

Southwest Airlines announced Monday it is expanding service to include three international destinations, starting July 1.

Photo by Dylan Ashe/Wikipedia

Southwest Airlines is introducing international flights to several Caribbean destinations, a first for the Dallas-based carrier. "Beginning July 1, 2014, Bags Fly Free beyond U.S. borders to Aruba, The Bahamas, and Jamaica," Southwest Airlines chairman Gary Kelly said at a press conference on Monday.

Non-stop daily service will commence from Atlanta to Aruba and Montego Bay, from Baltimore/Washington to Aruba, Nassau and (twice daily) Montego Bay, and Saturday-only service from Orlando to Aruba and Montego Bay.

International service to 96 destinations in four countries, currently serviced by AirTran Airways,will be taken over by Southwest by the end of this year.

International service to 96 destinations in four countries, currently serviced by AirTran Airways, will be taken over by Southwest by the end of this year. Southwest acquired AirTran in May, 2011, and intends to complete the full integration of AirTran's network into Southwest at that time. AirTran currently flies between San Antonio and Mexico City and between Austin and Cancun.

Houston and Dallas were noticeably missing from the announcement, but there's a reason for that. A new $156 million five-gate international terminal financed by Southwest is currently being built at William P. Hobby Airport. When it is completed in late 2015, the facility will be home to Southwest's foray into Latin America and the Caribbean from Houston.

Southwest also plans to expand domestic service from Dallas' Love Field in October. At that time, the provisions of the federal law, the Wright Amendment — which placed limitations on non-stop flights to destinations within Texas and in neighboring states — will be lifted. No word yet on what international flights may depart from Dallas, as the Boeing 737's that Southwest operates are limited to flying 3,115 nautical miles without refueling.

Executive vice president and CCO for Southwest Bob Jordan told the Houston Business Journal the only thing preventing the airline from adding more international flights is how far the Boeing 737's can fly.

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go rural

Tiny West Texas town tops Airbnb's 'off-the-map' destinations to visit

Matador, Texas, Airbnb, best rural destinations

Photo courtesy of Airbnb

Welcome to Matador, Texas.

More Texas travelers are shying away from tourist traps for their vacations and instead embracing the calming roadside with increasing interest in rural areas of the state, according to Airbnb, and one tiny Texas city in the Panhandle is generating buzz atop a brand-new list of under-the-radar rural destinations in America.

The vacation rental marketplace's inaugural "Off-the-Map" list features 20 rural destinations across the country where short-term rentals are bringing in "new opportunities for local tourism."

"From coastal fishing villages to Cajun bayou towns and alpine mountain escapes, America Off-the-Map invites travelers to discover something new and helps support local economies and communities across the country," the report said.

Matador, a small town about 80 miles northeast of Lubbock and 530 miles from Houston, was named the No. 1 hidden gem vacation destination in Texas. The report described Matador as a part of Texas that tourists "haven’t found" yet, which is what makes it all the more rewarding as an undiscovered treasure.

"Welcome to the seat of Motley County – where the wind is constant, the skies are enormous, and the history is deeper than the caprock beneath your boots," the report said.

Visitors can explore the Motley County Historical Museum, which explores the building's history as the Traweek Hospital that was originally built nearly a century ago. The museum also sheds light on Native American history, the life of ranchers, and other historical facts about the town and county.

Local restaurants like Chelle's Garden or TC's Ponderosa in nearby Dickens are good spots for travelers to eat like a local, while the Coffee Mill and Mercantile in Quitaque is the place to be for breakfast, lunch, and a cup of joe.

Matador is also less than an hour away from the newly expanded Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway, a popular Texas state park known for its roaming bison herd and bat colony.

According to Airbnb's website, there are over 130 short-term rentals in Matador and the surrounding Motley County area, with some homes available for $172 for an overnight stay in April 2026.

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