Exhibit 10.5

                                EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

      THIS EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT (hereinafter referred to as this "Agreement"),
dated as of July 15, 2004, by and between COLLEEN C. BARRETT (hereinafter
referred to as the "Employee"), a resident of Dallas, Texas, and SOUTHWEST
AIRLINES CO. (hereinafter referred to as "Southwest", which term shall
include its subsidiary companies where the context so admits), a Texas
corporation,

                               W I T N E S S E T H:

      WHEREAS the Employee has served Southwest  since March 1978 in various
executive capacities, most recently as President and Corporate Secretary
pursuant to an Employment Contract dated as of June 19, 2001 (hereinafter
referred to as the "Old Contract"); and
      WHEREAS the Employee and Southwest desire to enter into an agreement
for the continuing full-time services of the Employee;
      NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants and promises contained herein, Southwest and the Employee agree as
follows:

                      I.  POSITION, DUTIES AND AUTHORITY

A.    POSITIONS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.  The Employee shall serve as
      President of Southwest, and, for so long as she shall be elected to the
      Board of Directors of Southwest, she shall serve as a member of the
      Board without additional compensation hereunder.  Further, she shall
      continue to serve as Corporate Secretary of Southwest, without
      additional compensation hereunder, until such time as the Board of
      Directors elects otherwise.  The Employee's duties and responsibilities
      as President shall include managing the Customer and Employee relations
      and functions of Southwest; achieving excellent Customer and employee
      service quality; preserving the Southwest servant leader culture;
      assisting the Chief Executive Officer in implementing Southwest's
      current and long range business policies and programs; and, in general,
      maintaining employee morale and esprit de corps.  In addition, she
      shall perform such other corporate duties and discharge such other
      corporate responsibilities as are specified in the bylaws of Southwest
      or are designated from time to time by any of the Chairman of the Board
      of Directors of Southwest, the Chief Executive Officer or the full
      Board of Directors.

B.    AUTHORITY.  The Employee shall be vested with all authority reasonably
      necessary to carry out her duties and responsibilities as set forth in
      this Article I.

C.    NECESSARY SUPPORT AND ENVIRONMENT.  The Employee shall be provided with
      the secretarial and other support personnel (including a full-time
      administrative assistant) and general working environment (including a
      private, furnished office) reasonably necessary for her to carry out
      her duties and responsibilities as set forth in this Article I.

                         II.  EMPLOYEE'S OBLIGATIONS

A.    TIME AND EFFORT.  During the term of her employment hereunder, the
      Employee shall devote such time and effort as is required to perform
      her duties and to discharge her responsibilities hereunder.  The
      Employee shall generally conform with all policies of Southwest as they
      apply to a person of her level of duties and responsibilities.

B.    NON-COMPETITION.  The Employee recognizes and understands that in
      performing the duties and responsibilities of her employment as
      outlined in this Agreement and pursuant to her employment at Southwest
      prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Employee has occupied and
      will occupy a position of trust and confidence, pursuant to which the
      Employee has developed and acquired and will develop and acquire
      experience and knowledge with respect to various aspects of the
      business of Southwest and the manner in which such business is
      conducted.  It is the expressed intent and agreement of the Employee
      and Southwest that such knowledge and experience shall be used in the
      furtherance of the business interests of Southwest and not in any
      manner which would be detrimental to such business interests of
      Southwest.  The Employee therefore agrees that, so long as the Employee
      is employed pursuant to this Agreement, unless she first secures the
      consent of the Board of Directors of Southwest, the Employee will not
      invest, engage or participate in any manner whatsoever, either
      personally or in any status or capacity (other than as a shareholder of
      less than one percent [1%] of the capital stock of a publicly owned
      corporation), in any business or other entity organized for profit
      engaged in significant competition with Southwest in the conduct of its
      air carrier operations anywhere in the States of Texas, Louisiana,
      Oklahoma, New Mexico, Missouri, Arizona, Nevada, California, Arkansas,
      Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland,
      Illinois, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Nebraska, Florida, Idaho,
      Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, North
      Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania.  Although the Employee and
      Southwest regard such restrictions as reasonable for the purpose of
      preserving Southwest and its proprietary rights, in the event that the
      provisions of this Paragraph II-B should ever be deemed to exceed the
      time or geographic limitations permitted by applicable laws, then such
      provisions shall be reformed to the maximum time or geographic
      limitations permitted by applicable laws.

                                  III.  TERM

A.    TERM.  This Agreement and the Employee's employment hereunder shall
      commence and become effective on and as of July 15, 2004.  The term of
      such employment shall expire on July 15, 2007, unless extended by
      consent of the parties hereto or earlier terminated pursuant to the
      provisions of Article V.

                       IV.  EMPLOYEE'S COMPENSATION

A.    BASE SALARY.  The Employee's annual Base Salary for the years ending
      July 15, 2005, 2006 and 2007 shall be $347,584, $358,012 and $368,752,
      respectively.  The Employee's Base Salary shall be payable to the
      Employee in equal semi-monthly installments.  The Employee's Base
      Salary installment payments shall be subject to such payroll and
      withholding deductions as may be required by law.

B.    PERFORMANCE BONUS.  The Board of Directors of Southwest (or the
      Compensation Committee thereof) may grant a Performance Bonus to the
      Employee, in addition to her Base Salary, at such times and in such
      amounts as such Board (or Committee) may determine.

C.    DEFERRED COMPENSATION.  In addition to the Base Salary provided for in
      Paragraph IV-A above, Southwest shall continue to set aside on its
      books, as provided in Paragraph IV-C of the Old Contract, a special
      ledger Deferred Compensation Account (the "Account") for the Employee,
      and shall credit thereto Deferred Compensation determined as
      hereinafter provided.  (Southwest at its election may fund the payment
      of Deferred Compensation by setting aside and investing such funds as
      Southwest may from time to time determine.  Neither the establishment
      of the Account, the crediting of Deferred Compensation thereto, nor the
      setting aside of any funds shall be deemed to create a trust. Legal and
      equitable title to any funds set aside shall remain in Southwest, and
      the Employee shall have no security or other interest in such funds.
      Any funds so set aside or invested shall remain subject to the claims
      of the creditors of Southwest, present and future.) For each full or
      partial calendar year as the Employee shall remain in the employment of
      Southwest under this Agreement, Deferred Compensation shall accumulate
      in an amount equal to any contributions (including forfeitures but
      excluding any elective deferrals actually returned to the Employee)
      which would otherwise have been made by Southwest on behalf of the
      Employee to the Southwest Airlines Co. Profitsharing Plan but which
      exceed maximum annual additions under such Plan on her behalf under
      federal tax law.  If such employment shall terminate prior to December
      31 in any calendar year, then Deferred Compensation shall accumulate
      and be calculated as provided under the terms of Southwest's
      Profitsharing Plan.  The Deferred Compensation credited to the Account
      (including the Interest hereinafter provided) shall be paid to the
      Employee (or to the executors or administrators of her estate)
      at the rate of $100,000 per calendar year (subject to such payroll and
      withholding deductions as may be required by law), commencing with the
      calendar year following the year in which (i) the Employee shall become
      sixty-five (65) or (ii) the Employee's employment with Southwest shall
      terminate (whether such termination is under this Agreement or
      otherwise and whether it is before, on or after the expiration of the
      initial term set forth in Paragraph III-A above, and irrespective of
      the cause thereof), whichever shall occur later, and continuing until
      the entire amount of Deferred Compensation and Interest credited to the
      Account shall have been paid.  Although the total amount of Deferred
      Compensation ultimately payable to the Employee hereunder shall be
      computed in accordance with the provisions set forth above, there shall
      be accrued and credited to the Account, beginning on January 1, 2005
      and continuing annually thereafter, amounts equal to simple interest at
      the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum, compounded annually
      ("Interest"), on the accrued and unpaid balance of the Deferred
      Compensation credited to the Account as of the preceding December 31.
      The Deferred Compensation and Interest to be paid in any one calendar
      year shall be paid on the first business day of such calendar year.
      Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of the Employee's death,
      Southwest, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to pay the
      unpaid balance of the Deferred Compensation (together with any accrued
      Interest thereon) to the executors or administrators of the Employee's
      estate in cash in one lump sum on the first business day of the
      calendar year next following the calendar year in which the Employee
      shall have died.  No right, title, interest or benefit under this
      Paragraph IV-C shall ever be liable for or charged with any of the
      torts or obligations of the Employee or any person claiming under her,
      or be subject to seizure by any creditor of the Employee or any person
      claiming under her.  Neither the Employee nor any person claiming under
      her shall have the power to anticipate or dispose of any right, title,
      interest or benefit under this Paragraph IV-C in any manner until the
      same shall have been actually distributed by Southwest.

D.    DISABILITY INSURANCE.  Southwest shall provide long term disability
      insurance providing for payment, in the event of disability of the
      Employee, of $10,000 per month to age seventy (70).  Except as to
      amounts payable, the terms and conditions of such policy shall be
      identical, or substantially similar, to the disability insurance
      provided by Southwest for its other officers as of the date of this
      Agreement.

E.    MEDICAL AND DENTAL EXPENSES.  During the term of this Agreement, the
      Employee shall remain eligible to participate in any medical benefit
      plan or program that Southwest makes available to its employees
      generally. Upon termination of her employment with Southwest, the
      Employee shall be eligible to participate in any non-contract retiree
      medical benefit plan or program that Southwest may then make available
      to its retirees generally. Southwest shall reimburse the Employee for
      all her out-of-pocket expenses (including specifically all premiums and
      deductibles) that the Employee may incur under any such Southwest plan
      or program during the term of this Agreement.

F.    STOCK OPTION GRANT.  Southwest shall grant to the Employee, effective
      as of the date hereof, ten-year non-qualified options to purchase
      150,000 shares of its common stock at a price per share equal to the
      fair market value thereof at the date hereof, with one-third of
      such options to be exercisable immediately and one-third to become
      exercisable on each of July 15, 2005 and July 15, 2006.

G.    OTHER BENEFITS.  The  Employee shall be eligible to continue to
      participate in all employee pension, profit-sharing, stock purchase,
      group insurance and other benefit plans or programs in effect for
      Southwest managerial employees generally to the extent of and in
      accordance with the rules and agreements governing such plans or
      programs, so long as same shall be in effect, with full service credit
      where relevant for the Employee's prior employment by Southwest.
      Southwest shall reimburse the Employee for reasonable expenses incurred
      by her in the performance of her duties and responsibilities hereunder.
      The Employee shall be entitled to vacation of three (3) weeks per year
      or such longer period as may be established from time to time by
      Southwest for its managerial employees generally.

                        V.  TERMINATION PROVISIONS

A.    EXPIRATION OR DEATH.  The Employee's employment hereunder shall
      terminate on July 15, 2007 (or such later date to which the term of
      this Agreement may be extended by consent of the parties hereto, in
      either case without prejudice to the Employee's privilege to remain an
      employee of Southwest thereafter), or upon the Employee's death,
      whichever shall first occur, without further obligation or liability of
      either party hereunder, except for Southwest's obligation to pay
      Deferred Compensation as provided in Paragraph IV-C of this Agreement.

B.    TERMINATION FOR CAUSE.  Southwest may terminate the Employee's
      employment hereunder upon the determination by a majority of its whole
      Board of Directors that the Employee has willfully failed and refused
      to perform her duties and to discharge her responsibilities hereunder.
      Such determination shall be final and conclusive.  If the Board of
      Directors of Southwest makes such determination, Southwest may (a)
      terminate the Employee's employment, effective immediately or at a
      subsequent date, or (b) condition her continued employment upon the
      circumstances and place a reasonable limitation upon the time within
      which the Employee shall comply with such considerations or
      requirements.  If termination is so effected, Southwest shall have no
      further liability to the Employee hereunder except for the obligation
      to pay Deferred Compensation as provided in Paragraph IV-C hereof.

C.    TERMINATION FOR DISABILITY.  Southwest may terminate the Employee's
      employment hereunder on account of any disabling illness, hereby
      defined to include any emotional or mental disorders, physical diseases
      or injuries as a result of which the Employee is, for a continuous
      period of ninety (90) days, unable to perform her duties and to
      discharge her responsibilities hereunder on a full-time basis.
      Southwest shall give to the Employee thirty (30) days' notice of its
      intention to effect such termination pursuant to this Paragraph V-C.
      If, within such notice period, the Employee shall have recovered from
      her disability sufficiently well to resume performance of her duties
      and discharge of her responsibilities on a full-time basis (although
      still undergoing treatment or rehabilitation), Southwest shall not have
      the right to effect such termination.  If such disabling illness occurs
      as a result of a job-related cause, Southwest shall continue to pay the
      Employee regular installments of her Base Salary in effect at the time
      of such termination for the remainder of the term of this Agreement.
      It is expressly understood and agreed, however, that any obligation of
      Southwest to continue to pay the Employee her Base Salary pursuant to
      this Paragraph V-C shall be reduced by the amount of any proceeds of
      long-term disability insurance provided for the Employee pursuant to
      Paragraph IV-D above, and shall also be reduced by the amount of the
      proceeds of any worker's compensation or other benefits which the
      Employee receives as a result of or growing out of her disabling
      illness.

D.    CHANGE OF CONTROL TERMINATION.  In the event of any change of control
      of Southwest, the Employee may, at her option, terminate her employment
      hereunder by giving to Southwest notice thereof no later than sixty
      (60) days after the Employee shall have determined or ascertained that
      such change has occurred, irrespective whether Southwest shall have
      purported to terminate this Agreement after such event but prior to
      receipt of such notice.  If termination is so effected, no later than
      the date of such termination Southwest shall pay the Employee as
      "severance pay" a lump sum equal to (i) $750,000 plus (ii) an amount
      equal to the unpaid installments of her Base Salary in effect at the
      time of such termination for the remaining term of this Agreement.  If
      termination is so effected, Southwest shall have no other further
      liability to the Employee hereunder except for its obligation to pay
      Deferred Compensation as provided in Paragraph IV-C above.  For
      purposes of this Paragraph V-D, a "change of control of Southwest"
      shall be deemed to occur if (i) a third person, including a "group" as
      determined in accordance with Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities
      Exchange Act of 1934, becomes the beneficial owner of shares of
      Southwest having twenty percent (20%) or more of the total number of
      votes that may be cast for the election of directors of Southwest, or
      (ii) as a result of, or in connection with, any cash tender or exchange
      offer, merger or other business combination, sale of assets or
      contested election, or any combination of the foregoing transactions
      (herein called a "Transaction"), the persons who were directors of
      Southwest before the Transaction shall cease to constitute a majority
      of the Board of Directors of Southwest or any successor to Southwest.

E.    VOLUNTARY TERMINATION.  The Employee's employment hereunder shall
      terminate forthwith upon her resignation and its acceptance by
      Southwest, without further obligation or liability of either party
      hereunder, except for Southwest's obligation to pay Deferred
      Compensation as provided in Paragraph IV-C above.

                             VI.  MISCELLANEOUS

A.    ASSIGNABILITY, ETC.  The rights and obligations of Southwest hereunder
      shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors
      and assigns of Southwest; provided, however, Southwest's obligations
      hereunder may not be assigned without the prior approval of the
      Employee.  This Agreement is personal to the Employee and may not be
      assigned by her.

B.    NO WAIVERS.  Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any
      provision hereof shall not be deemed a waiver of such provision or any
      other provision hereof.

C.    AMENDMENTS.  This Agreement may not be modified except by an agreement
      in writing executed by the parties hereto.

D.    NOTICES.  Any notice required or permitted to be given under this
      Agreement shall be in writing in the English language and shall be
      deemed to have been given to the person affected by such notice when
      personally delivered or when deposited in the United States mail,
      certified mail, return receipt requested and postage prepaid, and
      addressed to the party affected by such notice at the address indicated
      on the signature page hereof.

E.    SEVERABILITY.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision
      hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other
      provision hereof.

F.    COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts,
      each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which taken
      together shall constitute a single instrument.

G.    ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  This Agreement contains all of the terms and
      conditions agreed upon by the parties hereto respecting the subject
      matter hereof, and all other prior agreements, oral or otherwise,
      regarding the subject matter of this Agreement shall be deemed to be
      superseded as of the date of this Agreement and not to bind either of
      the parties hereto.

H.    GOVERNING LAW.  This Agreement shall be subject to and governed by the
      laws of the State of Texas.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Employee has set her hand hereto and Southwest
has caused this Agreement to be signed in its corporate name and behalf by
one of its officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year
first above written.

                                   SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.



                                   By: /s/ Herbert D. Kelleher
                                           Herbert D. Kelleher
                                           Chairman of the Board of Directors






                                   THE EMPLOYEE



                                       /s/ Colleen C. Barrett
                                           Colleen C. Barrett

                                           Address:  P.O. Box 36611
                                           Dallas, Texas  75235-1611