Southwest Airlines Reports December Traffic

DALLAS, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 6.0 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in December 2009, a 3.0 percent increase from the 5.8 billion RPMs flown in December 2008. Available seat miles (ASMs) decreased 5.8 percent to 7.8 billion from the December 2008 level of 8.3 billion. The load factor for the month was 76.2 percent, compared to 69.7 percent for the same period last year. For December 2009, passenger revenue per ASM is estimated to have increased in the seven percent range as compared to December 2008.

For the fourth quarter 2009, Southwest flew 18.2 billion RPMs, compared to 17.3 billion RPMs for the same period in 2008, an increase of 5.3 percent. Available seat miles decreased 7.7 percent to 23.5 billion from the fourth quarter 2008 level of 25.5 billion. The fourth quarter 2009 load factor was 77.3 percent, compared to 67.8 percent for the same period last year.

For the year ended December 31, 2009, Southwest flew 74.5 billion RPMs, compared to 73.5 billion RPMs for the same period in 2008, an increase of 1.3 percent. Available seat miles decreased 5.1 percent to 98.0 billion from the 2008 level of 103.3 billion. The year-to-date load factor was 76.0 percent, compared to 71.2 percent for the same period last year.

This release, as well as past news releases on Southwest, are available online at southwest.com.


SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

PRELIMINARY COMPARATIVE TRAFFIC STATISTICS







                                DECEMBER



                                2009         2008         CHANGE





Revenue passengers carried      7,032,357    6,778,951    3.7 %



Enplaned passengers             8,354,947    7,964,829    4.9 %



Revenue passenger miles (000s)  5,970,666    5,794,390    3.0 %



Available seat miles (000s)     7,832,819    8,318,347    (5.8)%



Load factor                     76.2%        69.7%        6.5 pts.



Average length of haul          849          855          (0.7)%



Trips flown                     90,784       95,813       (5.2)%







                                FOURTH QUARTER



                                2009         2008         CHANGE





Revenue passengers carried      21,493,912   20,788,058   3.4 %



Enplaned passengers             25,386,440   23,974,845   5.9 %



Revenue passenger miles (000s)  18,175,033   17,265,177   5.3 %



Available seat miles (000s)     23,506,003   25,455,786   (7.7)%



Load factor                     77.3%        67.8%        9.5 pts.



Average length of haul          846          831          1.8 %



Trips flown                     272,740      292,392      (6.7)%







                                YEAR-TO-DATE



                                2009         2008         CHANGE





Revenue passengers carried      86,305,366   88,529,234   (2.5)%



Enplaned passengers             101,338,228  101,920,598  (0.6)%



Revenue passenger miles (000s)  74,456,719   73,491,687   1.3 %



Available seat miles (000s)     98,001,621   103,271,343  (5.1)%



Load factor                     76.0%        71.2%        4.8 pts.



Average length of haul          863          830          4.0%



Trips flown                     1,125,111    1,191,151    (5.5)%

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.

Released January 8, 2010