Southwest Airlines has just unveiled its newest partnership. Beginning in January 2026, the Dallas-based carrier is launching a partnership with German leisure carrier Condor. This will be an interline agreement that will allow Southwest Airlines to book customers on itineraries that feature a leg operated by Condor, and tickets will be routed via one of six Southwest hubs in the US (Boston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle).

Southwest Airlines continues to make drastic changes to its business model as it seeks to adapt in the current US market. The company has already inked partnerships with Icelandair, China Airlines, EVA Air, and Philippine Airlines. An interline agreement is a basic level of cooperation, but it sets the stage for closer partnerships, and Southwest has already worked on expanding its existing agreement with Icelandair.

A New Interline Partner For Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines and Condor have entered into an interline agreement. Southwest Airlines will now sell you an itinerary to Frankfurt or beyond, with the transatlantic leg being operated by Condor. Condor will sell tickets to the US, with the domestic leg being operated by Southwest Airlines. Passengers will receive a single boarding pass, and bags will be checked through to the final destination.

These partnerships are significant for Southwest, as the airline has traditionally kept to itself. But now, it has five airline partners. Generally, however, an interline agreement is a basic form of cooperation. Other agreements involve codesharing, reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, as well as revenue sharing and schedule coordination in the case of a joint venture.

In Southwest’s press release, the carrier stated,

« 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, » said Andrew Watterson, Southwest Airlines Chief Operating Officer. « 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 cities1. 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. »

The Agreement From Condor’s Point Of View

Condor serves nine destinations in the US from its hub in Frankfurt Airport. Three of these airports (Anchorage, New York-JFK, and Miami) are not covered in the interline agreement, but these airports have little or no presence from Southwest Airlines. Southwest is Condor’s fourth US interline partner, and the carrier also has a codeshare agreement with Alaska Airlines.

Condor has historically been a leisure airline, but the carrier is going on the offensive against Lufthansa. It’s upgraded its fleet and its interiors, while also expanding its long-haul network out of Frankfurt. The major advantage that Lufthansa has across the Atlantic is its joint venture with United Airlines (as well as Air Canada). To counter this, Condor is expanding its network of US partners.

Condor has a codeshare agreement with Alaska Airlines covering the Pacific Northwest, in addition to interline agreements with JetBlue and Sun Country Airlines. These three airlines all cover different parts of the United States, and Southwest is particularly strong in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. This further strengthens Condor’s market position in the US.

Changes At Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines has performed a complete overhaul of its business and operating model. Several of these changes have been controversial, but the interline agreements are essentially a net benefit for the carrier and its customers. Southwest now has two European partners and three Asian partners.

One of the major changes in the US aviation market has been the rise of long-haul premium leisure travel. As a domestic-focused carrier with no widebody aircraft, Southwest is essentially unable to tap into this lucrative market. These agreements mean that Southwest can send its loyal customers to more international destinations, boosting loyalty.

The agreement with Icelandair was the first of these new partnerships, and the agreement initially only covered Baltimore. Now, however, it’s been expanded to add Denver, Nashville, Orlando, Pittsburgh, and Raleigh-Durham. The carrier is adding interline partners and expanding current agreements. From here, it’s certain that Southwest will continue to build on its partner network.