Southwest Airlines has recently announced a new partnership with China Airlines, allowing customers to book tickets that involve one leg operated by Southwest and the other by China Airlines, connecting via China Airlines’ West Coast gateways. This is the second partnership announced by the Dallas-based carrier this year, following a similar agreement with Icelandair. This marks a major shift in Southwest’s business model, as the airline was previously known for only selling tickets on its own website and operating within North America.
Details of the partnership reveal that it is an interline agreement, the least comprehensive type of airline partnership. This allows for the sale of itineraries to destinations beyond Taipei with the leg across the Pacific operated by China Airlines. While other partnerships, such as codesharing and joint ventures, offer more benefits and require regulatory approval, an interline agreement serves as a starting point for two airlines to establish a relationship.
The primary focus of this partnership is to transfer passengers at China Airlines’ US gateways, which also have Southwest flights. These include San Francisco, Los Angeles, Ontario, and Seattle. It is interesting to note that China Airlines is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, which includes founding member Delta Air Lines. However, due to Delta’s joint venture with Korean Air, there is minimal cooperation between the two carriers on trans-Pacific routes.
China Airlines currently serves five US airports with passenger aircraft, four of which are located on the West Coast. The fifth, New York-JFK, has no service by Southwest. China Airlines already has an interline agreement with Alaska Airlines, which is larger than Southwest in Seattle and San Francisco, while Southwest is larger in Los Angeles.
In early 2025, Southwest announced a similar interline agreement with Icelandair, covering several of the carrier’s major operating bases. This partnership has since expanded to include more connecting gateways, and there are reports of Southwest considering launching flights to Reykjavik on its own metal. This highlights the carrier’s efforts to adapt to the shift in the US airline industry towards larger carriers with expansive international networks and desirable loyalty programs.
Southwest Airlines, with the IATA code WN and ICAO code SWA, has multiple hub airports, including Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Dallas Love Field, Denver International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Houston Hobby Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Midway International Airport, Oakland International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The airline was founded in 1967 and has undergone significant changes in its business model to stay competitive in the industry.