Southwest Airlines has confirmed two new seasonal routes that matter to winter sun travellers: Nashville to Liberia in Costa Rica, and Columbus, Ohio to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Both are listed as seasonal services for January and February 2027. The announcement came as part of a wider batch of nine reported new nonstop routes for 2027, of which Southwest confirmed only two. This article separates what is confirmed from what is reported, and covers what to check before you plan around either flight.
What is confirmed
A news report dated June 6, 2026, syndicated across several local television sites including FOX 29, lists nine new nonstop routes for 2027. Two of them were confirmed by Southwest:
- Nashville (BNA) to Liberia (LIR), seasonal, January and February 2027
- Columbus (CMH) to San Juan (SJU), seasonal, January and February 2027
The report says an airline blog reported the other seven routes and that Southwest declined to confirm them. We have therefore not named those seven here.
What else Southwest is reported to be doing
A separate Caribbean Journal report dated June 11, 2026 says Southwest has opened booking for its February 2027 schedule and describes 28 seasonal routes returning plus six new ones. Among the returning routes it names Nashville to San Jose, Costa Rica, Pittsburgh to Cancun and Indianapolis to San Juan. It names only two of the six new routes, the same Nashville to Liberia and Columbus to San Juan pair. It does not give start dates or frequencies for any route.
The two sources are consistent, but neither gives exact launch dates, the days of the week, or fares. Months are all that has been published. That is the main gap for anyone trying to plan.
What the gaps mean for planning
A route that runs for two winter months is not a flight you can count on for any date you choose. Seasonal services often fly only on certain days, and the first and last weeks of a season can be thin. If your trip depends on the Nashville to Liberia nonstop, wait for the schedule that shows the actual dates before you commit to a resort stay, and keep your accommodation booking flexible until the flights are on sale for your travel dates.
Check what the fare covers too. Southwest has its own baggage and change rules that differ from other carriers, and those rules affect the real cost of a resort trip with luggage and a possible date change. Our guide to resort fees and the costs that are not in the rate is a good reminder that the airfare is only part of the price.
Why Liberia and San Juan are worth knowing about
Liberia serves the Guanacaste coast, the main all-inclusive area on Costa Rica’s Pacific side. A nonstop from Nashville opens that coast to travellers in Tennessee and the surrounding states without a connection. Our guide to all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica and what differs explains how that market works, and our Costa Rica destination page sets out what we have documented.
San Juan is the gateway to Puerto Rico. It is a destination where many travellers combine the city with a beach stay, and a nonstop from Columbus helps most for short trips. Puerto Rico is a US territory, so entry rules differ from the international destinations that Southwest also serves, a point worth checking with your carrier and with the official government sources for your passport before you fly.
A short checklist before you book
- Wait for exact dates and days of the week, then compare them with your resort availability.
- Do not buy non-refundable accommodation until the flight is on sale for your dates.
- Confirm baggage and change terms on the fare you are quoted.
- Plan the airport transfer. Our guide to how far from the airport your resort should be helps you weigh transfer time against price.
- Check Southwest’s own booking pages for the latest schedule, because schedules change.
Bottom line
The confirmed facts are narrow: two seasonal routes, January and February 2027, no exact dates yet. That is still useful, because it tells you where to look when the schedule opens. Treat the rest of the reported route list as unconfirmed, and wait for Southwest’s own schedule before building a trip around a new nonstop.