Southwest Airlines facts for kids
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800
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| Founded | March 9, 1967 (as Air Southwest) |
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| Commenced operations | June 18, 1971 (as Southwest Airlines) |
| AOC # | SWAA304A |
| Operating bases |
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| Frequent-flyer program | Rapid Rewards |
| Fleet size | 810 |
| Destinations | 118 |
| Headquarters | Love Field, Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Key people | |
| Revenue |  US$27.5 billion (2024) |
| Operating income | US$321 million (2024) |
| Net income |  US$465 million (2024) |
| Total assets |  US$33.7 billion (2024) |
| Total equity | US$10.3 billion (2024) |
| Employees | 72,450 (2024) |
Southwest Airlines Co., or simply Southwest, is a big airline in the United States. It used to be known for its very low prices. Its main office is in Dallas, Texas. In 2023, it was the fourth-largest airline in North America by how many people it flew.
Southwest uses only Boeing 737 airplanes. It flies to over 100 places in 42 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and ten other countries. These countries are near the southern United States in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. They include Aruba, the Bahamas, Belize, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, and Turks and Caicos.
The airline started on March 9, 1967. It was founded by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King and was first called Air Southwest Co. In 1971, it changed its name to Southwest Airlines Co. and began flying only within Texas. Its first flights were between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. By 1979, it started flying to other states and grew across the country in the years that followed.
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How Southwest Airlines Works
Southwest Airlines uses a special system for its flights. Instead of having one main "hub" airport like many other airlines, it uses a "point-to-point" system. This means planes fly directly between many different cities. Some airports have more Southwest flights than others, but none are single main hubs. As of January 2024, Southwest flies to over 100 places in 42 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Working with Other Airlines
Southwest has agreements with a few other airlines. These are Icelandair and Taiwan's China Airlines. These agreements help passengers connect to more places around the world.
Flying with Southwest
Southwest Airlines offers only one type of seating: economy class. This means there are no special business or first-class sections on their planes.
When you fly with Southwest, you get free snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. You can also buy alcoholic drinks. Sometimes, on holidays like Valentine's Day and Halloween, they even offer free alcoholic drinks. Southwest is also known for its fun flight attendants. They sometimes make funny announcements or even sing!
Southwest has a unique way of boarding planes. They used to have an "open seating" policy, which meant you could pick any open seat once you got on the plane. This policy was scheduled to end on January 26, 2026. Passengers get a group letter (A, B, or C) and a number (1 to 60). You line up in order within your group and then choose your seat. A study in 2012 found this method was actually the fastest way to get people on a plane, about 10 minutes quicker than other ways.
Southwest also has a "customer of size" policy. If a passenger needs more than one seat, Southwest will refund the cost of the second seat.
In May 2025, Southwest started adding new seats with more legroom to some of its planes. These seats are in the first five rows and near exit doors on certain Boeing 737 planes. For now, these seats are free because the airline still has its open seating policy. Southwest plans to finish these upgrades before they start assigning seats on January 27, 2026.
Entertainment on the Plane
As of December 2024, Southwest offers free entertainment on its flights. You can stream live TV, movies, and music. You can also send messages using iMessage and WhatsApp. Plus, you can track your flight in real-time. If you want full internet access, it costs $8 for most passengers. However, if you are a Business Select or A-List Preferred passenger, it's free. Southwest has been upgrading its Wi-Fi systems on planes since March 2023 to make it even better.
Rapid Rewards Program
Southwest has a program for frequent flyers called Rapid Rewards. It started in 1987 as "The Company Club." In this program, you earn points when you fly. The more expensive your ticket, the more points you earn. You can use these points to get free flights.
Since October 2019, your Rapid Rewards points do not expire as long as you are alive. This gives members more ways to use their points for travel.
Southwest Airlines Business
Business Information
Here are some key facts about Southwest Airlines' business over the years:
| Net income (in million US$) |
Employees (FTE) | Passengers (in millions) |
Load factor (%) | Avg. fare (US$) |
Aircraft | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2,181 | 49,583 | 118 | 83.6 | 154 | 704 | |
| 2016 | 2,183 | 53,536 | 124 | 84.0 | 152 | 723 | |
| 2017 | 3,357 | 56,110 | 130 | 83.9 | 151 | 706 | |
| 2018 | 2,465 | 58,803 | 134 | 83.4 | 151 | 750 | |
| 2019 | 2,700 | 60,767 | 134 | 83.5 | 154 | 770 | |
| 2020 | −3,074 | 56,537 | 54 | 52.4 | 141 | 718 | |
| 2021 | 977 | 55,093 | 99 | 78.5 | 141 | 728 | |
| 2022 | 539 | 66,656 | 126 | 83.4 | 169 | 770 | |
| 2023 | 465 | 74,806 | 137 | 80.0 | 172 | 817 | |
| 2024 | 465 | 72,450 | 140 | 80.4 | 178 | 803 |
Main Office Location
The main offices for Southwest Airlines are located at Dallas Love Field in Dallas. These offices are not just workplaces; they also show off the airline's unique culture.
Southwest has built new facilities over the years. In 2012, they started building a new training and operations center. This included a special building for controlling flights that could survive a strong tornado. It also had a large office and training area. These new buildings were finished in 2013 and opened in 2014.
In 2016, Southwest began building another new office and training center called "Wings." This huge building includes the Leadership Education and Aircrew Development (LEAD) Center. The LEAD Center is where pilots train and has space for many flight simulators. It opened in 2018. Southwest has continued to expand these facilities to meet its growing needs.
Working at Southwest Airlines
As of January 2025, Southwest Airlines had 72,450 full-time employees. The company looks for people who have a "Servant's Heart, Warrior Spirit, Fun-LUVing Attitude." They also believe in putting "employees first, customers second."
Many Southwest employees are part of a labor union. For example, pilots are represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilot Association. Mechanics are part of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association. Customer service and reservation agents belong to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union. Flight dispatchers, flight attendants, and ramp agents are represented by the Transport Workers Union.
Southwest Airlines has often been named one of the "best places to work." This is because of its strong employee culture. The company has never had to lay off employees. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees chose to take early retirement or long breaks, but no one was forced to leave.
How Southwest Influenced Other Airlines
Southwest Airlines' way of doing business has inspired many other low-cost airlines around the world. Their strategy involves being very efficient and keeping costs low. They do this by quickly getting planes ready for the next flight.
Airlines like Europe's EasyJet and Ryanair have followed Southwest's model. Other airlines that use a similar system include Canada's WestJet, Malaysia's AirAsia, India's IndiGo, Australia's Jetstar, the Philippines' Cebu Pacific, Thailand's Nok Air, Mexico's Volaris, Indonesia's Lion Air, and Turkey's Pegasus Airlines.
Advertising and Slogans
Southwest has always used humor in its advertising. Some past slogans include "Love Is Still Our Field" and "You're Now Free to Move About the Country." Their slogan as of 2022 is "Low fares. Nothing to hide. That's TransFarency!"
In 1992, Southwest had a friendly dispute over a slogan. Another company, Stevens Aviation, used "Plane Smart," and Southwest started using "Just Plane Smart." Instead of a lawsuit, the CEOs of both companies had an arm-wrestling match called "Malice in Dallas." Southwest's CEO, Herb Kelleher, lost the match. However, the winner immediately allowed Southwest to keep using the slogan. This meant both companies could use the phrase.
Safety and Incidents
Southwest Airlines is considered one of the safest airlines in the world. No passenger has ever died as a result of a plane crash. The airline has had a few incidents, but these are rare for an airline that flies so many people.
| Flight | Date | Aircraft | Location | Description | Casualties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1455 | March 5, 2000 | Boeing 737-300 N668SW | Burbank, California | The plane went off the end of the runway when landing. 44 people were hurt. The plane was too damaged to be fixed. | Two serious injuries, forty-two minor injuries |
| 1763 | August 11, 2000 | Boeing 737-700 N798SW | In flight | A passenger tried to get into the cockpit. Other passengers held him back, and he died during the struggle. | One death, one minor injury |
| 1248 | December 8, 2005 | Boeing 737-700 N471WN | Chicago, Illinois | The plane went off the runway during landing in heavy snow. It hit cars on a nearby street, and a six-year-old boy in a car died. | One death, nine seriously injured (on ground); three minor injuries (on board) |
| 2294 | July 13, 2009 | Boeing 737-300 N387SW | In flight | A hole formed on top of the plane, causing the cabin to lose air pressure. The plane landed safely. | None |
| 812 | April 1, 2011 | Boeing 737-300 N632SW | In flight | A hole appeared in the top of the plane. The plane landed safely. | Two minor injuries |
| 345 | July 22, 2013 | Boeing 737-700 N753SW | Queens, New York | The plane was badly damaged during a hard landing. The front landing gear broke, and the plane slid off the runway. | Ten minor injuries |
| 149 | August 4, 2016 | Boeing 737-300 N368SW | Anne Arundel County, Maryland | The plane's nose landing gear broke while it was being pushed back from the gate. The plane was too damaged to be fixed. | None |
| 3472 | August 27, 2016 | Boeing 737-700 N766SW | In flight | One of the plane's engines broke apart, damaging the engine cover and making a hole in the plane. The plane landed safely. | None |
| 1380 | April 17, 2018 | Boeing 737-700 N772SW | In flight | Debris from a broken engine hit a passenger window, causing it to break. A passenger was partially pulled out of the window and later died from her injuries. The pilots landed the damaged plane safely. | One death, eight minor injuries |
| 728 | December 6, 2018 | Boeing 737-700 N752SW | Burbank, California | The plane went off the runway when landing but was stopped by a special safety system. | None |
| 1392 | May 7, 2020 | Boeing 737-700 N401WN | Austin, Texas | After landing, a pilot saw someone on the runway. Later, a man's body was found, likely hit by the plane. | One death (on ground) |
| 307 | August 13, 2023 | Boeing 737-700 N7737E | Houston, Texas | Shortly after takeoff, the plane's right engine caught fire due to a mechanical problem. The plane landed safely back at the airport. | None |
| 2494 | November 15, 2024 | Boeing 737-800N8744B | Dallas, Texas | The plane was hit by a bullet near the cockpit while getting ready for takeoff. No one was hurt, and the plane returned to the gate safely. | None |
See also
In Spanish: Southwest Airlines para niños
- Air transportation in the United States
- Effect of low-cost airlines on communities
- Transportation in the United States
