Southwest Airlines adds special flight for fans attending Texas vs. Michigan game

Southwest Airlines will fly nonstop to Detroit for the Texas–Michigan game, according to KXAN. For the Longhorn fans traveling up to Ann Arbor, it’ll be a little easier.

“Southwest Airlines will offer two nonstop flights ahead of the game on Sept. 7,” Christopher Adams wrote for KXAN. “Flights will depart Austin at 11:40 a.m. on both Thursday and Friday, Sept. 5 and 6, and will land at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) at 3:35 p.m. local time. The airport is about 25 miles east of Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

“Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7. Two returning flights will leave on Sunday, Sept. 8 — one leaving Detroit at 9 a.m. and arriving in Austin at 10:55 a.m., and the other leaving at 4:55 p.m. and arriving at 6:50 p.m.”

This a clutch move from Southwest Airlines, making the game day travel that much easier when it comes to the September kickoff. This isn’t the only route to aid Texas fans.

“The route is one of several that Southwest will operate to shuttle fans this football season,” the report read. “The airlines will also fly to Austin from Atlanta for the Oct. 19 game against Georgia.”

Southwest Airlines aiding Texas fans for game vs. Michigan

Southwest Airlines might aid a Texas record, according to Inside Texas’ Joe Cook.

“The Longhorns may be used to crowds six figures in size but with a week two matchup against the Michigan Wolverines in Michigan Stadium, the largest sports stadium in the United States and the third-largest in the world, a record could be set for the highest official attendance, home or road, for a Texas Longhorns football game,” Cook wrote. “It’s worth noting that this would be for official attendance. In 2019, the official attendance for the matchup between Texas and eventual national champion LSU was 98,763. However, Texas athletics director Chris Del Conte later admitted at a fan town hall that they scanned over 116,000 fans into the stadium for that contest.

“The current official record for attendance at a Texas football game, home or road, is 105,565. That was set on September 10, 2005 when the Longhorns entered Ohio Stadium at night and left Columbus with a 25-22 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. Even if the crowd size in early September only meets Michigan Stadium’s listed 107,601 capacity, it would still set the official record for most to ever watch a Longhorn football game live.”