Southwest Airlines (WN, Dallas Love Field) is to expand its Dallas Love Field operations after it secured rights to two additional gates at the centrally-located Dallas airport. According to Southwest, it secured the use of the gates through a long-term sub-lease agreement signed with United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare).

Beginning April of this year, the Texan LCC will use the gates to offer daily nonstop flights to nine new cities including Memphis International, Milwaukee General Mitchell, and Seattle Tacoma International. It also plans to increase the number of nonstop flights to recently introduced destinations added after the expiration of the Wright Amendment restrictions on long-haul flying at Love Field in October 2014.

While the terms of the deal are confidential, the airline says the transaction was reviewed and cleared without conditions by the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division. The City of Dallas, the owner and operator of Love Field, also approved the sublease.

United will terminate its seven daily United Express E145 services operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) to its Houston Intercontinental hub from Love Field as a result of the deal. Since United however also sub leases some its gate capacity to Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) for Delta's five daily B717-200 services to Atlanta, Delta's operations at the airport are now also at risk yet again.