Southwest Airlines Reports June Traffic

DALLAS, July 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 6.7 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in June 2009, a 2.1 percent decrease from the 6.9 billion RPMs flown in June 2008. Available seat miles (ASMs) decreased 3.8 percent to 8.5 billion from the June 2008 level of 8.8 billion. The load factor for the month was 79.5 percent, compared to 78.2 percent for the same period last year. For June 2009, passenger revenue per ASM is estimated to have decreased in the nine to ten percent range as compared to June 2008.

For the second quarter 2009, Southwest flew 19.7 billion RPMs, compared to the 19.8 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2008, a decrease of 0.6 percent. Available seat miles decreased 3.0 percent to 25.6 billion from the second quarter 2008 level of 26.3 billion. The second quarter 2009 load factor was 77.0 percent, compared to 75.2 percent for the same period last year.

For the first half of 2009, Southwest flew 36.6 billion RPMs, compared to the 37.4 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2008, a decrease of 2.2 percent. Available seat miles decreased 3.5 percent to 49.7 billion from the 2008 level of 51.5 billion. The year-to-date load factor was 73.6 percent, compared to 72.6 percent for the same period last year.

This release, as well as past news releases on Southwest, are available online at http://www.southwest.com/?src=INVRINVJNTR000000090707.

                              SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
                    PRELIMINARY COMPARATIVE TRAFFIC STATISTICS

                                                      JUNE
                                                      ----

                                        2009            2008        CHANGE
                                        ----            ----        ------


      Revenue passengers carried      7,658,376       8,183,009      (6.4)%

      Enplaned passengers             9,005,109       9,451,725      (4.7)%

      Revenue passenger miles (000)   6,731,254       6,877,502      (2.1)%

      Available seat miles (000)      8,464,466       8,795,517      (3.8)%

      Load factor                          79.5%           78.2%   1.3 pts.

      Average length of haul                879             840       4.6%

      Trips flown                        95,843         100,831      (4.9)%



                                                 SECOND QUARTER
                                                 --------------

                                        2009            2008         CHANGE
                                        ----            ----        --------


      Revenue passengers carried     22,676,171      23,993,342      (5.5)%

      Enplaned passengers            26,505,438      27,550,957      (3.8)%

      Revenue passenger miles (000)  19,683,479      19,811,541      (0.6)%

      Available seat miles (000)     25,552,927      26,335,085      (3.0)%

      Load factor                          77.0%           75.2%   1.8 pts.

      Average length of haul                868             826       5.1%

      Trips flown                       289,573         303,432      (4.6)%



                                                  YEAR-TO-DATE
                                                  ------------

                                        2009            2008       CHANGE
                                        ----            ----        ------


      Revenue passengers carried     42,435,860      45,498,163      (6.7)%

      Enplaned passengers            49,555,428      52,259,572      (5.2)%

      Revenue passenger miles (000)  36,575,108      37,403,700      (2.2)%

      Available seat miles (000)     49,724,602      51,528,522      (3.5)%

      Load factor                          73.6%           72.6%   1.0 pts.

      Average length of haul                862             822       4.9%

      Trips flown                       568,708         598,222      (4.9)%


SOURCE Southwest Airlines