Southwest Airlines Reports December Traffic

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 5.5 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in December 2006, compared to the 5.0 billion RPMs flown in December 2005.

DALLAS – Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 8.3 percent to 8.0 billion from the December 2005 level of 7.4 billion. The load factor for the month was 68.9 percent, compared to 67.6 percent for the same period last year.

For the fourth quarter 2006, Southwest flew 16.8 billion RPMs, compared to the 15.1 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2005, an increase of 11.0 percent. Available seat miles increased 10.0 percent to 23.9 billion from the fourth quarter 2005 level of 21.7 billion. The fourth quarter 2006 load factor was 70.2 percent, compared to 69.6 percent for the same period last year.

[GADS_NEWS]For the year ended December 31, 2006, Southwest flew 67.7 billion RPMs, compared to the 60.2 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2005, an increase of 12.4 percent. Available seat miles increased 8.8 percent to 92.7 billion from the 2005 level of 85.2 billion. The year-to-date load factor was
73.1 percent, compared to 70.7 percent for the same period last year.

                            SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
                  PRELIMINARY COMPARATIVE TRAFFIC STATISTICS

                                                      DECEMBER

                                           2006          2005       CHANGE

     Revenue passengers carried         6,834,736      6,265,391      9.1 %

     Enplaned passengers                7,869,164      7,255,795      8.5 %

     Revenue passenger miles (000s)     5,506,475      4,994,097     10.3 %

     Available seat miles (000s)        7,992,307      7,382,345      8.3 %

     Load factor                            68.9%          67.6%      1.3 pts.

     Average length of haul                   806            797      1.1 %

     Trips flown                           93,171         88,153      5.7 %



                                                   FOURTH QUARTER

                                          2006           2005        CHANGE


     Revenue passengers carried        21,093,758     19,485,341      8.3 %

     Enplaned passengers               24,073,803     22,225,745      8.3 %

     Revenue passenger miles (000s)    16,799,770     15,139,361     11.0 %

     Available seat miles (000s)       23,914,966     21,748,689     10.0 %

     Load factor                            70.2%          69.6%      0.6 pts.

     Average length of haul                   796            777      2.4 %

     Trips flown                          279,903        259,377      7.9 %



                                                    YEAR-TO-DATE

                                          2006           2005        CHANGE


     Revenue passengers carried        83,851,484     77,693,875      7.9 %

     Enplaned passengers               96,276,791     88,379,900      8.9 %
     Revenue passenger miles (000s)    67,691,243     60,223,100     12.4 %
     Available seat miles (000s)       92,663,023     85,172,795      8.8 %
     Load factor                            73.1%          70.7%      2.4 pts.
     Average length of haul                   807            775      4.1 %
     Trips flown                        1,092,331      1,028,639      6.2 %