Southwest Airlines is currently undergoing a major transformation, which includes charging for checked bags, introducing assigned and extra legroom seating, etc. It goes beyond that, though, as Southwest is also increasingly launching airline partnerships.
Earlier this year, we saw Southwest launch its first partnership with Icelandair, and the expectation is that Southwest will fly to Iceland. Then we saw the airline announce China Airlines as its second partner, EVA Air as its third partner, and Philippine Airlines as its fourth partner. Now we’re seeing the airline reveal its fifth partnership, so these are coming along pretty quickly…
In this post:
New Southwest & Condor interline agreement
Southwest Airlines and Condor have introduced an interline agreement, which kicks in for travel as of January 19, 2026. With this, travelers can start booking tickets that include travel on both Southwest and Condor. This is initially available at several transatlantic gateways — Boston (BOS), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), and Seattle (SEA).
For those not familiar, Condor is Germany’s second largest global carrier, and it doesn’t belong to any global alliance. Here’s how Southwest Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson describes this:
“Adding Condor to our portfolio of partners brings transatlantic journeys between dozens of airports in the U.S. and exciting and aspirational places Condor serves. In Las Vegas alone, we can connect international travelers with the power of our network, offering them more than 270 departures a day and nonstop flights to more than 70 cities. Our airline partnerships showcase the warmth of our People, our operational reliability, and the increasing choice in travel experiences that Southwest now can offer to potential Customers around the world.”
For now this partnership only includes an interline agreement. This is the most basic level of cooperation two airlines can have. There’s no codeshare agreement, or loyalty collaboration, or anything. The interline agreement simply makes it possible to book a ticket that includes travel on both airlines, including through Condor’s website, as well as through online travel agencies.
There’s not really a whole lot to this partnership
Southwest is still new to the world of airline partnerships, so it’s interesting to see the approach the carrier is taking. For example, Icelandair was announced as the first partner, and it seems pretty clear the airlines are actually planning a higher level of cooperation, eventually having a codeshare agreement, frequent flyer reciprocity, etc.
However, it seems that Southwest’s strategy for adding partners after that has been a little more casual. We saw the airline add three partners in Asia, including two that compete directly with one another (China Airlines and EVA Air). Now we’re seeing Southwest add Condor as a partner.
Interestingly both Condor and Philippine Airlines (the two latest partners added) also cooperate with Alaska Airlines, and that comes with more reciprocity, in terms of earning and redeeming points. There’s a lot more consumer benefit there, if you ask me.
I can see big upside to Southwest establishing close partnerships with foreign carriers that enhance the value proposition of the loyalty program. However, just picking up low pro-rated interline revenue doesn’t exactly seem like a strategy that will materially impact financial performance.
Then again, with Southwest no longer being a “premium” airline that includes all kinds of services, I guess the company is more happy with that than in the past, and there’s not much downside to this.
Bottom line
Southwest Airlines and Condor have just launched a partnership. In reality, this is the most basic form of cooperation you can have, as this is simply an interline agreement that allows you to book travel including flights on both airlines (while also being able to check bags).
Condor is Southwest’s first airline partner from continental Europe. I wouldn’t necessarily expect much more in terms of cooperation beyond an interline agreement, but either way, I guess something is better than nothing. I just find the carrier’s approach to be strange, since you’d think the most upside with establishing partnerships would be the potential loyalty play. But maybe that’s more of a long term goal.
What do you make of Southwest & Condor partnering?
Based just on livery colors and patterns, it totally makes perfect sense.
I could certainly see Condor selling into Southwest’s network, but how many Americans will do the reverse. To get to… Frankfurt?
To be fair, Condor has quietly been growing their own-metal regional connections at a breakneck rate. They now offer London, Paris, major German cities, Portugal, Morocco, Egypt, and two dozen destinations in the Italian/Greek/French/Spanish/Turkish Mediterranean.
Frankly speaking, that's where the majority of North American originating transatlantic traffic goes. Condor still needs to add additional frequencies, since not all destinations can connect same-day to their transatlantic flights, but that seems to be what all their incoming...
To be fair, Condor has quietly been growing their own-metal regional connections at a breakneck rate. They now offer London, Paris, major German cities, Portugal, Morocco, Egypt, and two dozen destinations in the Italian/Greek/French/Spanish/Turkish Mediterranean.
Frankly speaking, that's where the majority of North American originating transatlantic traffic goes. Condor still needs to add additional frequencies, since not all destinations can connect same-day to their transatlantic flights, but that seems to be what all their incoming A320/A321 will be for.
Southwest's hubs are largely not in major gateways for foreign carriers so, yes, it is correct that this isn't a big deal.
If WN gets serious about flying international and buys its own widebodies to operate from its "hubs" to its partner hubs, then WN could fairly quickly become a significant international player by focusing on strong partnerships with up to a half dozen foreign carriers
and, it isn't a surprise that many of these...
Southwest's hubs are largely not in major gateways for foreign carriers so, yes, it is correct that this isn't a big deal.
If WN gets serious about flying international and buys its own widebodies to operate from its "hubs" to its partner hubs, then WN could fairly quickly become a significant international player by focusing on strong partnerships with up to a half dozen foreign carriers
and, it isn't a surprise that many of these carriers are also AS partners and that isn't likely to change anytime soon; but that will change as AS' non-oneworld partners get closer to US partners.
AS and WN are throwing increasing number of punches to each other at a time when neither can really afford a competitive slugfest
"Southwest's hubs are largely not in major gateways for foreign carriers so, yes, it is correct that this isn't a big deal."
You're looking at this through Delta-eyes. For Condor/Southwest, that's a GOOD thing.
The two of them would never be anything more than also-rans in a market like New York, but they could (if their relationship got closer) put up a real fight against any incumbents in a place like Vegas.
Candy Cane .