It’s a transaction ten years in the making – but it’ll only take a few weeks to transfer over all the hard work of AirTran to Southwest Airlines. The two companies are merging, a press release announced today, that will jumpstart Southwest’s cheap fares international for the first time in its four decades.

Southwest Airlines, known for its inexpensive rates but limited domestic flight schedule, will increase the brand to major airports in metropolitan areas as well as Mexico. The merger will quickly give Delta and American a run for their money in these major markets, something Southwest was never really capable of before.

"Today is an exciting day for our Employees, our Customers, the communities we serve, and our Shareholders," said Gary C. Kelly, Chairman, President, and CEO of Southwest Airlines. "As we approach our 40th Anniversary of providing exceptional Customer Service at everyday low fares, the acquisition of AirTran represents a unique opportunity to grow Southwest Airlines' presence in key markets we don't yet serve and takes a significant step towards positioning us for future growth.”

According to an initial analysis of the transaction by Campbell-Hill Aviation Group, LLP, adding just the Atlanta services from AirTran will increase Southwest’s customer rate by two million and around $200 million in customer savings.

"This acquisition creates more jobs and career opportunities for our combined Employee groups, as a whole. It allows us to better respond to the economic and competitive challenges of our industry, and fits perfectly within our strategy for our fifth decade of service. It offers Customers more low-fare destinations as we extend our network and diversify into new markets,” Kelly went on to say.

Source: Southwest Airlines