Southwest Airlines Reports December Traffic

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced that the Company flew 5.7 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in December 2007, compared to the 5.5 billion RPMs flown in December 2006.

DALLAS — Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 5.2 percent to 8.4 billion from the December 2006 level of 8.0 billion. The load factor for the month was 68.2 percent, compared to 68.9 percent for the same period last year.

For the fourth quarter 2007, Southwest flew 17.5 billion RPMs, compared to the 16.8 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2006, an increase of 4.2 percent. Available seat miles increased 5.6 percent to 25.3 billion from the fourth quarter 2006 level of 23.9 billion. The fourth quarter 2007 load factor was 69.3 percent, compared to 70.2 percent for the same period last year.

For the year ended December 31, 2007, Southwest flew 72.3 billion RPMs, compared to the 67.7 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2006, an increase of 6.8 percent. Available seat miles increased 7.5 percent to 99.6 billion from the 2006 level of 92.7 billion. The year-to-date load factor was 72.6 percent, compared to 73.1 percent for the same period last year.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
                  PRELIMINARY COMPARATIVE TRAFFIC STATISTICS

                                                        DECEMBER

                                             2007         2006    CHANGE


         Revenue passengers carried      7,016,216    6,798,075    3.2%

         Enplaned passengers             8,079,893    7,869,280    2.7%

         Revenue passenger miles (000s)  5,728,563    5,506,520    4.0%

         Available seat miles (000s)     8,404,268    7,992,307    5.2%

         Load factor                         68.2%        68.9%   (0.7)pts.

         Average length of haul                816          810    0.7%

         Trips flown                        98,263       93,171    5.5%



                                                    FOURTH QUARTER

                                             2007         2006    CHANGE


         Revenue passengers carried     21,770,218   21,057,097    3.4%

         Enplaned passengers            24,875,699   24,073,919    3.3%

         Revenue passenger miles (000s) 17,505,283   16,799,816    4.2%

         Available seat miles (000s)    25,258,958   23,914,966    5.6%

         Load factor                         69.3%        70.2%   (0.9)pts.

         Average length of haul                804          798    0.8%

         Trips flown                       295,370      279,903    5.5%



                                                   YEAR-TO-DATE

                                             2007         2006    CHANGE


         Revenue passengers carried     88,726,536   83,814,823    5.9%

         Enplaned passengers           101,910,809   96,276,907    5.9%

         Revenue passenger miles (000s) 72,318,813   67,691,289    6.8%

         Available seat miles (000s)    99,635,967   92,663,023    7.5%

         Load factor                         72.6%        73.1%   (0.5)pts.

         Average length of haul                815          808    0.9%

         Trips flown                     1,160,699    1,092,331    6.3%