Form: SC 13G

Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities by passive investors and certain institutions

February 9, 2000

SC 13G: Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities by passive investors and certain institutions

Published on February 9, 2000


UNITED STATES PRIVATE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G

UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
INITIAL FILING

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
(NAME OF ISSUER)
COMMON STOCK
(TITLE CLASS OF SECURITIES)
844741108
(CUSIP NUMBER)
12/31/99
(DATE OF EVENT WHICH REQUIRES FILING OF THIS STATEMENT)

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX TO DESIGNATE THE RULE PURSUANT TO WHICH THIS
SCHEDULE IS FILED:

(X) RULE 13D-1(B)
( ) RULE 13D-1(C)
( ) RULE 13D-1(D)

*THE REMAINDER OF THIS COVER PAGE SHALL BE FILLED OUT FOR A
REPORTING PERSON'S INITIAL FILING ON THIS FORM WITH RESPECT TO THE
SUBJECT CLASS OF SECURITIES, AND FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT
CONTAINING INFORMATION WHICH WOULD ALTER THE DISCLOSURES PROVIDED
IN A PRIOR COVER PAGE.

THE INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REMAINDER OF THIS COVER PAGE SHALL
NOT BE DEEMED TO BE "FILED" FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 18 OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 ("ACT") OR OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO THE
LIABILITIES OF THAT SECTION OF THE ACT BUT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ALL
OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE ACT (HOWEVER, SEE THE NOTES).














CUSIP NO. 844741108 13G PAGE 2 OF 5 PAGES


1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF PERSON
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, ACTING IN VARIOUS FIDUCIARY
CAPACITIES. 04-1867445

2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP.*

NOT APPLICABLE A __
B __
3. SEC USE ONLY

4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

5. SOLE VOTING POWER
7,827,018 SHARES
6. SHARED VOTING POWER
52,604,476 SHARES
7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
61,197,915 SHARES
8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
17,520 SHARES
9. AGGREGATED AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
61,215,435 SHARES

10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES*

NOT APPLICABLE

11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

12.14%

12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

BK


SCHEDULE 13G PAGE 3 OF 5 PAGES
ITEM 1.

(A) NAME OF ISSUER

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

(B) ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES

P.O.BOX 36611
DALLAS, TEXAS 75235-1611
ITEM 2.

(A) NAME OF PERSON FILING

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE


(B) ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE,
RESIDENCE

225 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON, MA 02110


(C) CITIZENSHIP

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

(D) TITLE CLASS OF SECURITIES

COMMON STOCK

(E) CUSIP NUMBER

844741108

ITEM 3. IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(B), OR
13D-2(B), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:

(B) _X_ BANK AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3(A)(6) OF THE ACT

SCHEDULE 13G PAGE 4 of 5 PAGES
ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP

(A) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED

61,215,435 SHARES

(B) PERCENT OF CLASS

12.14%

(C) NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS:
(I) SOLE POWER TO VOTE OR TO DIRECT THE VOTE
7,827,018 SHARES
(II) SHARED POWER TO VOTE OR TO DIRECT THE VOTE
52,604,476 SHARES
(III) SOLE POWER TO DISPOSE OR TO DIRECT THE DISPOSITION OF
61,197,915 SHARES
(IV) SHARED POWER TO DISPOSE OR TO DIRECT THE DISPOSITION OF
17,520 SHARES

ITEM 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS

NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER
PERSON.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PROFIT SHARING PLAN = 10.43%

ITEM 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH
ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT
HOLDING COMPANY

NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP

NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP

NOT APPLICABLE

SCHEDULE 13G PAGE 5 OF 5 PAGES

ITEM 10. CERTIFICATION

THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION SHALL BE INCLUDED IF THE
STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(B):

BY SIGNING BELOW I CERTIFY THAT, TO THE BEST OF MY
KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF, THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO ABOVE WERE
ACQUIRED IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS AND WERE NOT ACQUIRED
FOR THE PURPOSE OF AND DO NOT HAVE THE EFFECT OF CHANGING OR
INFLUENCING THE CONTROL OF THE ISSUER OF SUCH SECURITIES AND WERE
NOT ACQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH OR AS A PARTICIPANT IN ANY
TRANSACTION HAVING SUCH PURPOSES OR EFFECT.

THIS REPORT IS NOT AN ADMISSION THAT STATE STREET BANK AND
TRUST COMPANY IS THE BENEFICIAL OWNER OF ANY SECURITIES COVERED BY
THIS REPORT, AND STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMS BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF ALL SHARES REPORTED HEREIN
PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-4.

SIGNATURE

AFTER REASONABLE INQUIRY AND TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND
BELIEF, I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION SET FORTH IN THIS STATEMENT
IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND CORRECT.

9 FEBRUARY 2000
STATE STREET BOSTON CORPORATION
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
TRUSTEE


/s/JUDITH A. DORIAN
VICE PRESIDENT