March 13, 2026 — Dallas, Texas — Southwest Airlines announced today that it will discontinue all flights to, from, or through Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) beginning June 4, 2026, as part of summer network adjustments.
The decision impacts customers with bookings on or after the effective date. Affected passengers can rebook on alternate flights from nearby airports, travel standby, or request full refunds, including non-refundable fares and add-ons, according to the airline’s travel advisory.
Customer Rebooking Options
For IAD, alternatives include Reagan National (DCA), Baltimore-Washington International (BWI), Philadelphia (PHL), and Richmond (RIC). ORD customers can choose Midway (MDW), Milwaukee (MKE), or Indianapolis (IND). FOX 5 DC and CBS News Chicago confirmed flights remain unaffected through June 3, 2026, with rebooking available via app, website, or phone.
Passengers can rebook without fare differences, as noted by The Points Guy.
Network Optimization Context
Southwest described the move as capacity optimization amid industry challenges. AirlineGeeks reported the airline exiting these markets entirely, following recent pullbacks. The Dallas Business Journal covered the announcement from the carrier’s Dallas headquarters.
Local coverage highlighted impacts: Chicago Sun-Times noted ORD service ends after five years.
Additional outlets including Men’s Journal, Travel and Tour World, and Seeking Alpha echoed the details, with no formal press release identified beyond the advisory.
Social media reactions focused on general service complaints, with no direct official posts from Southwest as of March 13, 2026.
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