Southwest Airlines to Add Special Flights For Texas vs. Michigan

Longhorns fans can travel to the matchup against the national champions with more ease after Southwest added non-stop flights around game day

Texas Longhorns quarterbacks Arch Manning (16), left, and Quinn Ewers (3) throw passes while warming up ahead of the Longhorns' spring Orange and White game at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, April 20, 2024. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA

Traveling from Austin to Ann Arbor will be a lot less challenging for Longhorn fans after Southwest Airlines announced non-stop flights to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, about 25 miles from Michigan Stadium, ahead of the Sept. 7 game.

"Thinking about following your favorite college football team on the road this season? Southwest just made it easier for you with extra flights to see six marquee matchups in September and October," Southwest Airlines said in the announcement. "On key weekends, we’ve added extra service between New Orleans and Las Vegas, Nashville and Oklahoma City, as well as Atlanta and Austin. Additionally, new service kicks off between Austin and Detroit, Birmingham and Milwaukee, and Columbus and Portland, Ore.

Kickoff is set to 11 a.m. on that Saturday, and Texas fans can leave Austin on Thursday or Friday at 11:40 a.m. Return flights are set to leave Detroit on Sunday at both 10:55 a.m. and 4:55 p.m. A non-stop flight between the two cities should take around three hours, and drive to the stadium less than 30 minutes.

Southwest will also be flying from Atlanta to Austin on Oct. 19 for the matchup against Georgia, as well as other prominent games across the country such as Ohio State at Oregon.

The Michigan Wolverines Stadium is the largest sports stadium in the United States and third biggest in the world.

It will be the Longhorns first-ever trip to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines, with the only meeting between the two programs coming in a 38-37 Texas win in the 2005 Rose Bowl.