Southwest Airlines will fly direct every day from Santa Barbara to Oakland, Las Vegas and Denver, starting April 12, the airline announced Jan. 21.

Southwest said in December that it would begin serving Santa Barbara Airport in the spring, but did not disclose its routes or its timetable at that time. The routes announced Jan. 21: three daily flights each way between Santa Barbara and Las Vegas and one daily flight each way between Santa Barbara and both Denver and Oakland.

Tickets are on sale now for flights through June 16. The Denver fares start at $69 one-way, while the Las Vegas and Oakland flights will both start at $39.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging in Southern California, public health authorities recommend against any unnecessary travel. But once vaccines are widespread and the pandemic begins to abate, South Coast residents will have quick and relatively cheap access to the San Francisco Bay Area, Las Vegas and the Rocky Mountains.