Southwest Airlines backtracks on a full schedule by year-end as recovery stalls
It was less than two months ago when Southwest Airlines unveiled plans to fly a nearly full schedule by December in an effort to grow out of the coronavirus pandemic as it has past recessions.
Now, those plans are fizzling like a dying sparkler on the Fourth of July.
Dallas-based Southwest plans to fly about 25% less than it flew at the end of 2019 by December, CEO Gary Kelly said during the airline's second quarter earnings call on Thursday. The flight reductions are still in the works and will be loaded in its schedule over the coming weeks.
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“And, if demand is like it is today, that won’t be enough," Kelly added in a dour note on the outlook. "We’ll have to be smaller.”
The recovery in air travel has unequivocally stalled. Every carrier from Delta Air Lines to United Airlines — and now Southwest — have acknowledged that when the resurgence of COVID-19 was leading the news cycle around the July 4 holiday, Americans stopped buying tickets to travel.
Data from trade group Airlines for America (A4A) shows net passenger bookings — new reservations minus cancellations — for U.S. domestic travel have held steady at down roughly 80% year-over-year since the beginning of July.
Related: Southwest Airlines adds 11 new routes, plans to resume a full schedule by year’s end
Southwest posted a rare quarterly loss during the three months ending in June. The airline lost $1.5 billion before special items during the period — a number that was better than the losses at some of its larger competitors — but was a fraction of its usual size, flying just 45% of what it flew a year ago.
The carrier will be a little bigger during the three months ending in September. Southwest president Tom Nealon said Thursday that it plans to fly about 70% to 80% of what it flew last year during the same period, but he noted that they "have more work to bring it down further."
Despite having to delay plans to resume a full schedule, Southwest plans to continue serving all of the U.S. cities on its route map. This includes Hawaii, where it continues to serve five cities — though its only connection to the U.S. mainland is between Honolulu (HNL) and Oakland (OAK).
Related: Why the U.S. needs a federal mandate on masks now more than ever
Passenger and crew safety from COVID-19 remains a top priority for Southwest. The airline will implement stricter rules on wearing masks onboard its Boeing jets next week in response to what Nealon said were "too many exceptions to the policy."
Southwest has also extended caps on the number of seats it will sell on any given flight by a month to the end of October. The caps are designed to allow for a semblance of social distancing onboard.
In addition, Kelly said the nearly 17,000 staff that took voluntary early departure packages or extended unpaid leave are enough to allow it to avoid pay cuts or furloughs through the end of the year.
Related: Southwest staff love the carrier so much, more than 25% are willing to leave to help it survive
But Southwest's leadership team is not under any impression that they — or the airline industry — is out of the coronavirus woods yet.
"We know enough now that we’ve got a long, long way to go," said Kelly calling the recovery a "long, saw-toothed slog."
Related: Southwest Airlines moves to new digs at Nashville with opening of Concourse D
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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
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- 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.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.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.