Southwest eyes Denver-Steamboat Springs route

Southwest Airlines will fly nonstop between Denver and Steamboat Springs, Colorado on a seasonal basis.

The ski destination will be served daily from Colorado’s state capital before the end of 2020, the airline said.

The new route is in line with the carrier’s focus on short-haul flights in response to the 737 MAX grounding. Southwest CEO Gary Kelly has reminded analysts and reporters that the Dallas-based carrier is a “short-haul specialist.”

Southwest president Tom Nealon has said the short-haul focus is a short-term answer to the MAX grounding, emphasizing that the carrier will return to developing long-haul routes when the aircraft returns to service. Southwest is the world’s largest 737 MAX customer.

Photo credit: Colorado Tourism Office