DALLAS, Aug. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) announced today the carrier will add a 79th destination to its route map with service to Branson, Missouri, beginning inMarch 2013. Southwest starts service inBranson on March 9, 2013, with daily flights offering nonstop service to Dallas,Houston Hobby , and Chicago Midway, and with Saturday-only service to Orlando. Southwest will assume all flying from AirTran Airways, its wholly owned subsidiary, with AirTran's operations at Branson fully converting to Southwest Airlines. To view a route map of the new service, click here www.swamedia.com. To celebrate the new Branson service, Southwest announced a fare sale of $79* one-way between Branson and Dallas ( Love Field ), Chicago (Midway), or Houston (Hobby) as well as $99 to Orlando. These fares must be booked by Sept. 6, 2012, for travel between March 9, 2013, and April 11, 2013 (blackout date of April 2, 2013, applies). See fare rules below. To take advantage of these special fares, visit www.southwest.com. "Southwest Airlines is proud to bring low fares, great Customer Service, and our red-bellied 737s to Branson," said Bob Montgomery , Southwest Airlines' Vice President of Airport Affairs.  "We are looking forward to serving the community and offering more new destinations to Branson Customers." Southwest's Branson Service :
  • One daily nonstop flight between Branson and Dallas Love Field
  • One daily nonstop flight between Branson and Houston Hobby
  • One daily nonstop flight between Branson and Chicago Midway
  • One Saturday-only nonstop flight between Branson and Orlando
Southwest also announced today that the airline has extended its flight schedule for travel between March 9, 2013, and April 12, 2013. In the new schedule, Southwest will begin service between several markets as listed below. The carrier also will add seasonal service to this flight schedule to accommodate Spring Break travel.