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

Ex 99.1

CONTACT:  Investor Relations (214) 792-4415

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES REPORTS DECEMBER TRAFFIC

DALLAS, TEXAS – January 7, 2011 -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 6.6 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in December 2010, an 11.3 percent increase from the 6.0 billion RPMs flown in December 2009.  Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 5.6 percent to 8.3 billion from the December 2009 level of 7.8 billion.  The load factor for the month was 80.4 percent, compared to 76.2 percent for the same period last year.  For December 2010, passenger revenue per ASM is estimated to have increased approximately five percent as compared to December 2009.

For the fourth quarter 2010, Southwest flew 20.0 billion RPMs, compared to 18.2 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2009, an increase of 10.1 percent.  Available seat miles increased 5.5 percent to 24.8 billion from the fourth quarter 2009 level of 23.5 billion.  The fourth quarter 2010 load factor was 80.7 percent, compared to 77.3 percent for the same period last year.

For the year ended December 31, 2010, Southwest flew 78.0 billion RPMs, compared to 74.5 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2009, an increase of 4.8 percent.  Available seat miles increased 0.4 percent to 98.4 billion from the 2009 level of 98.0 billion.  The year-to-date load factor was 79.3 percent, compared to 76.0 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
	DECEMBER
	2010			2009			CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried		7,299,247			7,037,220			3.7	%
Enplaned passengers		8,946,340			8,354,947			7.1	%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)		6,647,976			5,970,657			11.3	%
Available seat miles (000s)		8,270,486			7,832,747			5.6	%
Load factor		80.4	%		76.2	%	4.2		pts.
Average length of haul		911			848			7.4	%
Trips flown		92,495			90,784			1.9	%
	FOURTH QUARTER
		2010			2009		CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried		22,461,821			21,498,778			4.5	%
Enplaned passengers		27,163,960			25,386,440			7.0	%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)		20,005,943			18,175,023			10.1	%
Available seat miles (000s)		24,788,095			23,505,932			5.5	%
Load factor		80.7	%		77.3	%	3.4		pts.
Average length of haul		891			845			5.4	%
Trips flown		278,137			272,740			2.0	%
	TOTAL YEAR
		2010			2009		CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried		88,201,175			86,310,229			2.2	%
Enplaned passengers		106,227,521			101,338,228			4.8	%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)		78,046,967			74,456,710			4.8	%
Available seat miles (000s)		98,437,092			98,001,550			0.4	%
Load factor		79.3	%		76.0	%	3.3		pts.
Average length of haul		885			863			2.5	%
Trips flown		1,114,451			1,125,111			(0.9	)%

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