Throughout 2025, Southwest Airlines announced a number of new partnerships, ranging from foreign airlines to American coffee companies.
Now, early in 2026, the Dallas-based budget airline has revealed an agreement with the Chicago Cubs. Southwest is now the official airline of the MLB team, along with its home park, Wrigley Field, and its spring training home, Sloan Park in Arizona.
“Southwest Airlines has served the Chicago market for more than 40 years with our strong presence at Midway (MDW) and expansion at O’Hare (ORD), and we are thrilled to share our love for connecting people to places with Cubs fans,” said Jennifer Birdie, Southwest Airlines Vice President of Marketing. “Together, we celebrate the passion for the Cubs, and we have a solid lineup of unforgettable moments planned for the season ahead as we take our Hospitality from the sky to the ballpark.”
What does the Southwest, Cubs partnership entail?
According to a press release, Southwest will be heavily involved in sponsorship and signage at both parks during the upcoming 2026 season. The on-deck circles at Wrigley Field and Sloan Park will featured Southwest’s trademark heart logo, and the upper deck at the Cubs’ legendary North Side ballpark will be renamed the “Southwest Airlines Deck.”
Other elements of the deal include:
- On-field baseline signage and rotational signage behind home plate
- Various in-game features and community initiatives during the season.
- Cubs star outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong serving as a Southwest Airlines ambassador
- Southwest as the presenting sponsor of multiple gameday experiences at l Wrigley Field
What else is coming up at Southwest?
Last year, Southwest announced the launching of several new policies in 2026, including the elimination of its “Bags Fly Free” and open seating procedures.
The airline is also instituting a new policy for plus-sized passengers, which has drawn criticism from customers and experts alike.
“I think it’s going to make the flying experience worse for everybody,” said Jason Vaughn of Fat Tested Travel, via the Associated Press.
