Flying High

Southwest Airlines adds new international destinations from Hobby Airport

Amid a wave of bouncing beach balls at Houston City Hall, Southwest Airlines announced two new international destinations from Hobby Airport this fall.

Flights to Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Liberia, Costa Rica, will begin Nov. 1 out of Hobby’s $156 million international terminal, currently under construction. The airline previously announced flights to Mexico (Cancun, Mexico City, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta), Belize and San Jose, Costa Rica, that will begin from Hobby on Oct. 15.

“2015 is all about Houston. You’ll have more choices and lower fares," Southwest CEO Gary Kelly told an enthusiastic crowd.

Tickets to all international destinations will go on sale Thursday on Southwest's web site.

“2015 is all about Houston. You’ll have more choices and lower fares. It’s a great opportunity for all us to boost travel and tourism here in Houston, and that creates jobs," Southwest CEO Gary Kelly told an enthusiastic crowd that included Mayor Annise Parker and Southwest employees. "We are just getting started. This is only the beginning.”

Southwest won the right to begin international flights out of the new Hobby terminal in the face of determined opposition from United Airlines three years ago. Parker alluded to the battle when she paraphrased a quote from Lyndon Baines Johnson that "sometimes it’s hard to figure out what the right thing is."

"This is a situation that it wasn’t hard at all to figure out that the right thing was to allow more competition for international flights," she said. "And it wasn't hard to do the right thing because the increased competition for international flights and a major investment in Hobby Airport will not only make this more convenient for the traveling public but it is also a huge stimulus to the area around Hobby Airport. We are excited at the possibilities."

Earlier this week, Parker was at George Bush Intercontinental Airport as United broke ground on a new Terminal C North concourse. The $244 million project will create a 265,000 square-foot concourse with floor-to-ceiling windows offering soaring tarmac views, expansive gate-lounge areas and 20 new dining and retail options near boarding gates.

Gary Kelly, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Airlines announces the launch dates of inaugural international flights out of Houston Hobby.

Houston, Southwest Airlines Beach Bash, May 2015, Gary Kelly

Photo by Marcy de Luna

Gary Kelly, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Airlines announces the launch dates of inaugural international flights out of Houston Hobby.

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End of the Road

Texas park Enchanted Rock opens expanded backcountry to hardcore hikers

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Enchanted Rock Ranch is a new purchase that was added on to the state park in 2025.

Confident hikers have a new area of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area to explore in the Texas Hill Country. On July 7, the park opened the Backcountry Area, which invites visitors to stop by during the daytime for self-guided use.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says additional amenities will be added later to accommodate visitors of all experience levels.

This marks the first phase of development for the newly expanded state park, which doubled in size thanks to a 3,073-acre acquisition in 2025.

Enchanted Rock, in Fredericksburg, is one of Texas' Centennial Parks, a group of parks purchased or expanded through the $1 billion Centennial Parks Conservation Fund that Texas voters approved in 2023. Each is on a timeline that guides how the public will use them; at 12 months, they should be ready for guided hikes, and in 18 months, visitors can "explore on their own," a webpage about the Centennial Parks explains.

“This first wave of development will be a good fit for true adventurers who want a more rugged experience than what they’ve been currently experiencing at Enchanted Rock,” said superintendent Doug Cochran in a press statement. “Future phases will see closer parking so people of other experience levels can enjoy the beauty of the Backcountry.”

For now, the only way to access the Backcountry is through park headquarters, followed by a roughly two-mile hike to the pedestrian gate. Visitors can find their way through new trail maps at the headquarters and online.

Because the park expansion is still early in its development, visitors should take extra precautions. Trails are "rugged," TPWD says, and there is not much shade. There are two water refill stations in the new area: one at the entrance and another toward the center of the property with a portable restroom.

TPWD further cautions that hikers bring their own water, salty snacks, sunscreen, long shirts, a buddy, and a cellphone. Having a hiking plan in advance enhances safety, especially if it includes heat safety precautions.

The Backcountry Area at Enchanted Rock will have different hours from the rest of the park. The Backcountry will be open from 8 am to 6 pm.

Texans plugged into park news have likely heard about several new park projects. In Central and South Texas, they include the newly purchased Silver Lake Ranch, Bear Creek State Park, and an area in Burnet and Lampasas Counties including Yancey Creek.

hiking nature parks state parks enchanted rock hill country