Southwest reveals details on international flights out of Hobby Airport

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 lands at Hobby Airport in March 2015. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 lands at Hobby Airport in March 2015. Photo: Bill Montgomery Photo: Bill Montgomery Image 1 of / 102 Caption Close Southwest reveals details on international flights out of Hobby Airport 1 / 102 Back to Gallery

Southwest Airlines will offer nonstop flights to Costa Rica, Belize and Jamaica from Hobby Airport's international terminal that opens this fall, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said Wednesday.

Kelly, at a press conference today, added Liberia, Costa Rica, to the list of previously announced international destinations that Southwest will serve from Houston. He also, for the first time, revealed when flights would begin at the five-gate terminakl.

Flights to Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Cancún in Mexico as well as San Jose, Costa Rica and Belize City, Belize start Oct. 15. A flight to Montego Bay, Jamaica and the Liberia flight will begin Nov. 1. Service to Aruba from Hobby began earlier this year.

Kelly said four of the eight new flights have no competition in Houston currently.

"These flights will provide much needed competition," Kelly said. "There will be much needed relief from some of the highest international fares in the country."

Mayor Annise Parker joined Kelly at the announcement, which was held in front of Houston City Hall and was decorated with a beach theme, including bongo players, grass-covered tents and beach balls. Screens behind Kelly and Parker showed scenes from the Latin American destinations Southwest plans to fly from Houston.

Parker said Southwest's investment in Houston will stimulate not just the airport, but lead to more investments around that part of the city.

Southwest held its annual shareholders meeting in Houston Wednesday morning, marking the first time the airline held it outside its headquarters at Dallas Love Field.