DALLAS, — Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 7.5 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in July 2010, a 3.4 percent increase from the 7.2 billion RPMs flown in July 2009. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 1.4 percent to 8.8 billion from the July 2009 level of 8.7 billion. The load factor for the month was 84.9 percent, a record monthly load factor performance for the Company. For July 2010, passenger revenue per ASM is estimated to have increased in the 17 to 18 percent range as compared to July 2009.

For the seven months ended July 31, 2010, Southwest flew 44.9 billion RPMs, compared to 43.8 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2009, an increase of 2.4 percent. Available seat miles decreased 2.6 percent to 56.9 billion from the 2009 level of 58.4 billion. The year-to-date load factor was 78.8 percent, compared to 75.0 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

JULY
—-

2010 2009 CHANGE
—- —- ——

Revenue passengers carried 8,171,589 8,077,464 1.2 %

Enplaned passengers 10,001,004 9,554,999 4.7 %

Revenue passenger miles
(000) 7,487,360 7,240,727 3.4 %

Available seat miles (000) 8,823,489 8,703,631 1.4 %

Load factor 84.9% 83.2% 1.7 pts.

Average length of haul 916 896 2.2 %

Trips flown 98,665 98,761 (0.1)%

YEAR-TO-DATE
————

2010 2009 CHANGE
—- —- ——

Revenue passengers carried 51,031,846 50,513,325 1.0 %

Enplaned passengers 61,249,669 59,110,427 3.6 %

Revenue passenger miles
(000) 44,855,303 43,815,835 2.4 %

Available seat miles (000) 56,914,794 58,428,233 (2.6)%

Load factor 78.8% 75.0% 3.8 pts.

Average length of haul 879 867 1.4 %

Trips flown 647,779 667,469 (2.9)%

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.