Southwest Airlines Reports June Traffic

July 07, 2010

DALLAS, July 7, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 7.1 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in June 2010, a 5.0 percent increase from the 6.7 billion RPMs flown in June 2009. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 1.9 percent to 8.6 billion from the June 2009 level of 8.5 billion. The load factor for the month was 81.9 percent, compared to 79.5 percent for the same period last year. For June 2010, passenger revenue per ASM is estimated to have increased in the 24 percent range as compared to June 2009.

For the second quarter 2010, Southwest flew 20.2 billion RPMs, compared to the 19.7 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2009, an increase of 2.7 percent. Available seat miles decreased 0.3 percent to 25.5 billion from the second quarter 2009 level of 25.6 billion. The second quarter 2010 load factor was 79.3 percent, compared to 77.0 percent for the same period last year.

For the first half of 2010, Southwest flew 37.4 billion RPMs, compared to the 36.6 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2009, an increase of 2.2 percent. Available seat miles decreased 3.3 percent to 48.1 billion from the 2009 level of 49.7 billion. The year-to-date load factor was 77.7 percent, compared to 73.6 percent for the same period last year.

This release, as well as past news releases on Southwest, are available online at southwest.com.

                        SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
              PRELIMINARY COMPARATIVE TRAFFIC STATISTICS

                                                     JUNE
                                                     ----

                                         2010           2009      CHANGE
                                         ----           ----      ------


    Revenue passengers carried      7,914,269      7,658,376         3.3 %

    Enplaned passengers             9,562,142      9,005,109         6.2 %

    Revenue passenger miles
     (000)                          7,066,096      6,731,254         5.0 %

    Available seat miles (000)      8,627,117      8,464,466         1.9 %

    Load factor                          81.9%          79.5%    2.4 pts.

    Average length of haul                893            879         1.6 %

    Trips flown                        96,753         95,843         0.9 %



                                             SECOND QUARTER
                                             --------------

                                         2010           2009      CHANGE
                                         ----           ----      ------


    Revenue passengers carried     23,047,545     22,676,171         1.6 %

    Enplaned passengers            27,554,201     26,505,438         4.0 %

    Revenue passenger miles
     (000)                         20,206,229     19,683,479         2.7 %

    Available seat miles (000)     25,471,845     25,552,927        (0.3)%

    Load factor                          79.3%          77.0%    2.3 pts.

    Average length of haul                877            868         1.0 %

    Trips flown                       287,222        289,573        (0.8)%



                                              YEAR-TO-DATE
                                              ------------

                                         2010           2009      CHANGE
                                         ----           ----      ------


    Revenue passengers carried     43,024,380     42,435,861         1.4 %

    Enplaned passengers            51,248,665     49,555,428         3.4 %

    Revenue passenger miles
     (000)                         37,367,943     36,575,108         2.2 %

    Available seat miles (000)     48,091,305     49,724,602        (3.3)%

    Load factor                          77.7%          73.6%    4.1 pts.

    Average length of haul                869            862          0.8%

    Trips flown                       549,114        568,708        (3.4)%

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.