Missouri on My Mind

New nonstop flight connects Austin to major Midwest city

Traveling to Missouri is about to get a lot easier.

Austin's nonstop flight additions appear to be nonstop. Southwest Airlines has announced a new flight connecting Austin to Midwest barbecue mecca Kansas City, Missouri.

On March 13, 2017, the airline will launch nonstop service between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Kansas City International Airport. This is the first nonstop flight from Austin to Missouri's largest city.

As usual, Southwest promises quality service at affordable prices. Through November 22, travelers can purchase one-way tickets as low as $89 for flights between March 13 and May 8, 2017.

Kansas City joins a growing roster of nonstop destinations from Austin. Other hot Southwest nonstop destinations include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Portland, Oregon; Seattle; Boston; and St. Louis.

vacation transportation

KEY PLAYER

2 luxe Austin hotels earn coveted Michelin Key

Frances Modern Inn/Facebook

The Frances Modern Inn uses lots of vintage design inspiration, and no two rooms are the same.

Two Austin hotels are among seven total Texas properties to earn a coveted Michelin Key in 2026.

The Texas portion of the new list is as follows:

Set on three lakeside acres along Lady Bird Lake, the Four Seasons trades city bustle for a resort-like calm. The 294 rooms at this downtown One-Key hotel lean into lake house design, with soft blue-and-gray palettes and views of the water or skyline. Expect a saltwater pool, full spa, and Texan touches like an on-demand margarita cart.

Four Seasons Hotel Austin aerial The Four Seasons Hotel Austin has one of the most premium real estate parcel in all of Austin.Photo courtesy of the Four Seasons Hotel Austin

A more boutique option is represented in the One-Key Frances Modern Inn, which only has 14 rooms in Central East Austin. No two rooms are alike: the smallest are cozy singles with reading nooks, the largest are two-story lofts with clawfoot tubs. Communal lounges and a rooftop remain open around the clock; dine in the restaurant downstairs, Siti, which combines influences from across Southeast Asia.

Announced Friday, September 18, Michelin added 65 properties in America to its list of Key-worth stays, bringing the overall total to more than 350 hotels nationwide. Sophie’s is only the second San Antonio-area hotel to earn Key status, joining Hotel Emma.Similar to the famous Michelin Stars awarded to restaurants, hotels may receive one, two, or three keys, which are defined as follows:

One Michelin Key for hotels that offer "very special" stays with service that "provides significantly more than similarly priced establishments."
Two Michelin Keys for "exceptional stays" where memorable guest experiences are "always guaranteed" with a special emphasis on the hotel's design or architecture.
Three Michelin Keys for hotels that provide "extraordinary stays" for "the ultimate in comfort and service, style and elegance."

No properties in Texas hold three Michelin Keys. The state’s only two-key properties are the Commodore Perry Estate (Austin), the Bowie House (Fort Worth), and Hotel Emma.

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