rtalk25

I wouldn't be surprised if IAD-MDW was cut in order to help improve DCA-MDW loads.

I think the only reason it wasn't cut entirely was because Frontier had announced IAD as a focus city with IAD-ORD around the time Southwest was launching DCA-MDW. Southwest didn't want to make it too easy for Frontier and responded with keeping some Chicago and added LAS from IAD. But Frontier has stuck on it's IAD-Chicago route with a different price point that it's irrelevant to Southwest really now.

I'd think IAD-PHX could be a good route as a replacement if IAD-MDW is cut. PHX remains a large WN station hub, and there isn't that intense competition from IAD with US not flying the route. So if one is flying in perimeter, DCA is the go to airport, and if going atleast two time zones out west, IAD has additional options. I'd think IAD-LAX and OAK might be too much though and might start to impact BWI offerings. WN would be more directly competing against VX and higher frequency UA options also.