Southwest details winter plans as holiday bookings surge, despite last year’s meltdown
Southwest Airlines is expecting to have a happy holiday season, even as it shakes off the memory of last year's operational collapse.
Holiday bookings are up for Southwest as the Dallas-based carrier said it has bounced back from an operational meltdown last winter that led to thousands of cancellations and delays.
Andrew Watterson, Southwest's chief operating officer, said in a call with analysts Thursday afternoon that the carrier has taken multiple steps to ensure a similar operational meltdown does not happen again during the holiday travel season.
Read more: Southwest to make improvements to winter equipment, staffing following holiday meltdown
"Preparing to prevent something like that from happening again was, and is, an imperative," Watterson said on the call.
Last winter, blizzards swept over parts of the U.S. as travelers were flying for the holidays, and Southwest's operation collapsed. Other airlines were able to quickly pick up operations following the storm, but Southwest had instead canceled flights for days, leaving millions stranded. Many factors led to the widespread operational meltdown, ranging from dated infrastructure to mismanaged crews.
The incident brought intense scrutiny onto Southwest, leading to a Senate hearing and a U.S. Department of Transportation investigation into the carrier's scheduling practices.
Related: A behind-the-scenes look at Southwest's Dallas headquarters
Beyond the public scrutiny, Southwest also suffered major financial losses in the aftermath, reporting that the meltdown cost it $800 million in pretax income during its first-quarter earnings call in January.
For the most part, Southwest took an apologetic stance on the meltdown.
At the time of the fiasco, much of the conversation centered around Southwest's antiquated technology. However, during Thursday's call, Watterson argued that the root issue lay more in its operations than its technology. Specifically, Watterson pointed to Southwest's initiatives to better coordinate its crews and invest more in de-icing equipment.
Watterson added that the carrier had conducted tabletop planning exercises with its staff involving winter weather scenarios to prepare for the season; he also said it has created a special operating group called the "network disruption pod" to lead decision-making in what Watterson called "high-risk disruption events."
That operating group — which was formed partly by moving the network planning and operations teams under the same umbrella in order to coordinate decision-making — had already successfully mitigated potential disruptions during the summer travel period, Watterson said.
Related: Southwest now has its 1st plane outfitted with power ports
"We're so better than ever and so confident as we go into the winter holiday travel season," Watterson said on the call.
It does not seem like last year's operational meltdown has swayed travelers away from Southwest when it comes to holiday travel. In fact, Southwest executives said holiday bookings were even stronger this year compared to the last.
"If you look at where we sit today, versus last year, at this point in the curve for the December holiday period specifically, we're booked ahead, which I think is a vote of confidence," Ryan Green, Southwest's chief commercial officer, said. "Customers are beyond our operational disruption, and we're not suffering any sort of demand weakness for the December holiday period."
Related reading:
- When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
- The best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees