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Snapshot: A Look at Southwest Airlines, by the Numbers

Aug. 28, 2019
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3 min read
US-TRANSPORT-BOEING
Snapshot: A Look at Southwest Airlines, by the Numbers
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Southwest Airlines bridges the gap between the USA's traditional legacy carriers and those that began flying after deregulation. Now, as it nears its 50th year of service, Southwest has not only outlasted most of its post-deregulation challengers, but has carved out a key position for domestic travelers.

It's the largest airline domestic travelers flying within the US. And, though it started out competing with suggestive ads, it's known today as a particularly laid-back and family-friendly company.


Southwest may be a low-cost carrier at heart, but its rapid growth this century has moved it closer to the legacy carriers it has battled over the years. In 2010, Southwest flexed its increasingly powerful muscles by announcing a deal to buy AirTran, a rapidly-growing budget carrier based in Atlanta that had begun to challenge major carriers along the East Coast. The deal closed in 2011, finally bringing Southwest into Atlanta and paving the way for it to launch international service for the first time in its history.

Here's what else you need to know about Southwest:

Headquarters: Dallas

CEO: Gary Kelly

Destinations: 101 in 10 countries

Related: The Best Southwest Airlines Credit Card for Family Travelers

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Hubs: Southwest famously does not designate cities as hubs, instead touting the power of its "point-to-point" network. Despite that, a number of Southwest's airports function largely as hubs, facilitating connections for thousands of passengers flying between others cities. Among the most prominent to fit that bill for Southwest are Chicago Midway, Baltimore, Las Vegas and Denver. Many of Southwest's mid-sized airports -- such as St. Louis and Nashville -- also facilitate a large number of connecting passengers.

Daily Departures: About 4,000

Frequent-flier Program: Rapid Rewards

Busiest Airports by Number of Southwest Passengers in 2018

  1. Chicago Midway (20.45 million)
  2. Denver (18.70 million)
  3. Baltimore-Washington (18.09 million)
  4. Las Vegas (17.95 million)
  5. Phoenix (15.36 million)
  6. Dallas Love Field (14.98 million)
  7. Houston Hobby (13.59 million)
  8. Orlando (11.14 million)
  9. Atlanta (10.36 million)
  10. Los Angeles (10.13 million)

Source: Diio by Cirium

Related: Southwest’s ‘Second Wave’ of Hawaii Expansion Is Now Underway

Busiest Airports by Average Daily Southwest Departures in 2018

  1. Chicago Midway (223)
  2. Las Vegas (199)
  3. Baltimore-Washington (198)
  4. Denver (190)
  5. Dallas Love Field (171)
  6. Phoenix (169)
  7. Houston Hobby (154)
  8. Los Angeles (118)
  9. Orlando (116)
  10. Atlanta (115)

Source: Diio by Cirium

Planes in Southwest's Fleet

  • Boeing 737 (753, including different variants of the plane)

Source: Southwest Airlines fact sheet, as of June 30, 2019

Related: Why the Last Row on Southwest Is the Best Place to Fly

Featured image by AFP/Getty Images

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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.