Southwest Airlines Links Reno With the Heart of Texas

Southwest Airlines is rewarding weekend warriors with nonstop flights between Reno and three Texas cities. Wheels go up Jan. 16, 1999, on the new nonstop flights between Reno and Austin, Houston (Hobby), and San Antonio. Fares on these special nonstops start at just $89 one way.

"The aircraft we will use for these flights would normally sit on the ground as part of our reduced Saturday schedule," said Joyce Rogge, Southwest's vice president of marketing. "We first introduced the Saturday-only concept in April with nonstop flights from Las Vegas to Spokane, New Orleans, and Tulsa, and between St. Louis and Ft. Lauderdale. The experiment has been so successful for Southwest Airlines that we decided to extend it to the Reno and Texas marketplace. We think Texas travelers will appreciate easier access to Reno since the area is such a desirable destination, especially with ski season right around the corner."

The flight to Reno leaves Austin at 4:10 p.m. CST and arrives in Reno at 5:55 p.m. PST. (The Saturday flight leaves Reno at 6:20 p.m. PST and arrives in Austin at 11:35 p.m. CST.) The flight to Reno leaves Houston's Hobby Airport at 2:10 p.m. CST arriving in Reno at 4:15 p.m. PST. (The nonstop flight leaves Reno at 2:35 p.m. PST and arrives at Houston Hobby at 8 p.m. CST.) The flight to Reno leaves San Antonio at 3:50 p.m. CST and arrives in Reno at 5:35 p.m. PST. (The Saturday flight leaves Reno at 6 p.m. PST and arrives in San Antonio at 11:15 p.m. CST.)

Southwest Airlines Vacations offers complete ski packages into Nevada that include roundtrip air via Southwest Airlines, hotel/condominium accommodations, hotel taxes, ground transportation, Rapid Rewards flight credit, FunBook discount coupons, and 24-hour traveler assistance. Southwest also offers interchangeable lift tickets to Alpine Meadows, Diamond Peak, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose, Northstar at Tahoe, Sierra at Tahoe, or Squaw Valley USA. Ski packages are also available to Heavenly on the South Shore.

These flights will operate each Saturday through April 2, 1999. The $89 one-way fare applies to air only on the new Saturday-only nonstop flights. Tickets must be purchased within one day of making a reservation and at least seven days before departure. Fares are combinable with other Southwest Airlines fares, except "Friends Fly Free." Seats are limited and may not be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Tickets are nonrefundable but, if unused, may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines. Airport taxes of up to $6 each way are not included.

Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV), the fifth largest domestic carrier in terms of Customers boarded, currently serves 52 cities in 26 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 2,350 flights a day with a fleet of 275 Boeing 737s with an average age of 8.5 years--one of the youngest pure jet fleets in the domestic airline industry.