Southwest Airlines (LUV) 8-K Southwest Airlines Reports October Traffic

Ex 99.1

CONTACT:  Investor Relations (214) 792-4415

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES REPORTS OCTOBER TRAFFIC

DALLAS, TEXAS – November 5, 2009 -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 6.3 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in October 2009, a 1.9 percent increase from the 6.2 billion RPMs flown in October 2008.  Available seat miles (ASMs) decreased 9.4 percent to 8.0 billion from the October 2008 level of 8.8 billion.  The load factor for the month was 79.2 percent, compared to 70.4 percent for the same period last year.  For October 2009, passenger revenue per ASM is estimated to have increased in the one percent range as compared to October 2008.

For the ten months ended October 31, 2009, Southwest flew 62.6 billion RPMs, compared to 62.4 billion RPMs for the same period in 2008, an increase of 0.3 percent.  Available seat miles decreased 4.8 percent to 82.5 billion from the 2008 level of 86.6 billion.  The year-to-date load factor was 75.9 percent, compared to 72.1 percent for the same period last year.

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

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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
PRELIMINARY COMPARATIVE TRAFFIC STATISTICS
	OCTOBER
	2009			2008			CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried		7,435,140			7,489,319			(0.7	)%
Enplaned passengers		8,776,079			8,562,562			2.5	%
Revenue passenger miles (000)		6,325,204			6,207,582			1.9	%
Available seat miles (000)		7,987,167			8,812,152			(9.4	)%
Load factor		79.2	%		70.4	%	8.8 pts.
Average length of haul		851			829			2.7	%
Trips flown		92,670			101,224			(8.5	)%
	YEAR-TO-DATE
		2009			2008		CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried		72,246,591			75,230,495			(4.0	)%
Enplaned passengers		84,727,867			86,508,315			(2.1	)%
Revenue passenger miles (000)		62,606,891			62,434,092			0.3	%
Available seat miles (000)		82,482,784			86,627,709			(4.8	)%
Load factor		75.9	%		72.1	%	3.8 pts.
Average length of haul		867			830			4.5	%
Trips flown		945,041			999,983			(5.5	)%

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