Harriet Baskas

Special for USA TODAY

Starting Dec. 4, Southwest Airlines will be adding new international service between Los Angeles International Airport and three airports in Mexico’s coastal resort regions: Cancun (CUN), San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos (SJD) and Puerto Vallarta (PVR).

Department of Transportation approval for these new routes “made history,” said Paul Cullen, Vice President and Executive Sponsor of Los Angeles for Southwest Airlines, as they are “the first [routes] authorities granted in a new agreement between the U.S. and Mexico to allow more service between the countries."

The new twice-daily, non-stop services are subject to Mexican government approval.

Southwest is offering special fares on the new routes through Aug. 21.

"We are able to do what we have done for decades in California and in cities across the country: enter a nonstop market, bring low fares with unmatched value, and connect people in a more affordable way with places that are important in their lives,” said Cullen in a statement.

The Dallas-based carrier will also begin flying between Oakland International Airport and both Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta (also subject to Mexican governmental approval) on Feb. 12, 2017.

Harriet Baskas is a Seattle-based airports and aviation writer and USA TODAY Travel's "At the Airport" columnist. She occasionally contributes to Ben Mutzabaugh's Today in the Sky blog. Follow her at twitter.com/hbaskas.