This is a list of destinations that Southwest Airlines currently serves (as of August 2011). Currently, Southwest Airlines operates solely within the continental United States. Instead of flying to the principal airports in some larger cities (most notably Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and New York), Southwest chooses to use secondary airports or cities to avoid higher landing fees and congestion. The airline uses lower fees to lower ticket prices, allowing lower fares while gaining access to high-demand destinations. After its completed merger with AirTran, Southwest will serve every U.S state except Delaware, North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii