We Weren't Just Airborne Yesterday

Time flies when you're having fun!

More than 36 years ago, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher got together and decided to start a different kind of airline. They began with one simple notion: If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly your airline. And you know what? They were right.

What began as a small Texas airline has grown to become one of the largest airlines in America. Today, Southwest Airlines flies almost 100 million passengers a year to 63 great cities all across the country, and we do it more than 3,300 times a day.

With over 500 aircraft, Southwest has one of the youngest fleets in the nation, with an average age of approximately nine years. Included in the fleet are three flying killer whales, the “Shamu” aircraft; “Lone Star One,” painted like the Texas flag, to celebrate Southwest Airlines' 20th Anniversary in a style and manner second to none; “Arizona One,” a symbol of the importance of the state of Arizona to Southwest Airlines; “California One,” a high-flying tribute to the state of California; “Silver One,” our 25th Anniversary plane; “Triple Crown One,” dedicated to the Employees of Southwest Airlines for their marvelous achievement of five consecutive annual Triple Crown awards; “Nevada One,” a high-flying tribute to the state of Nevada; “New Mexico One,” also known as Zia, painted in the bright yellow of the New Mexico flag; “Maryland One,” emblazoned with an artist’s rendering of the Maryland flag; and the newest addition, “Slam Dunk One,” symbolizing Southwest’s special partnership with the National Basketball Association.

Since 1987, when the Department of Transportation began tracking Customer Satisfaction statistics, Southwest has consistently led the entire airline industry with the lowest ratio of complaints per passengers boarded. Many airlines have tried to copy Southwest’s business model, and the Culture of Southwest is admired and emulated by corporations and organizations in all walks of life. Always the innovator, Southwest pioneered Senior Fares, a same-day air freight delivery service, and Ticketless Travel. Southwest led the way with the first airline web page—southwest.com, DING! the first-ever direct link to Customer’s computer desktops that delivers live updates on the hottest deals, and the first airline corporate blog, Nuts About Southwest. Our Share the Spirit community programs make Southwest the hometown airline of every city we serve.

We took a great idea and made it fly

Read on to find out more about this little upstart airline from Texas and how it got off the ground to become one of America's largest and best-loved commercial airlines in history:

1971

After years of fighting the established airlines in the courts, Southwest Airlines takes off with President Lamar Muse at the helm on its maiden voyage and begins service between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. America's most unique airline is born. Southwest ends its inaugural year with four aircraft and 195 Employees.

1972

All Houston service is transferred to Houston's Hobby Airport from Houston Intercontinental. "After all," said Herb Kelleher, cofounder of the airline, "why should our Customers have to drive 45 minutes to take a 40-minute flight?" When Southwest is forced to sell its fourth aircraft, the famous “Ten-Minute Turn” is born, and while turn times have grown over the following years, Southwest’s quick turns are still a key to its amazing productivity.

1973

What a year it was! Southwest files with the Texas Aeronautics Commission to extend service to the Rio Grande Valley. RUSH Cargo service, which provides same-day airport cargo delivery, is introduced, and Southwest has its first profitable year.

1974

Southwest carries its one millionth passenger and spends $400,000 to remodel the terminal at Houston's Hobby Airport by adding two new boarding gates and departure lounges.

1975

Permission is finally granted for Southwest to fly to the Rio Grande Valley via the Harlingen Airport with four roundtrips each business day. Southwest expands to five aircraft, and the Southwest Airlines legend grows.

1976

Southwest gets clearance to begin spreading "LUV" to Austin, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Lubbock, and Midland/Odessa—service will begin in 1977. And within five short years, Southwest places its sixth Boeing 737 into service while flying over one and a half million satisfied Customers to their destinations. Disco music, mood rings, and black light posters fade away, but Southwest Airlines is here to stay. Southwest has 517 Employees at the end of its fifth year.

1977

Southwest carries its five millionth passenger, and Southwest stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange as "LUV."

1978

Lamar Muse steps down as President and Herb Kelleher fills in as interim President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board. Southwest aircraft N52SW is christened the "Herbert D. Kelleher" to honor the airline's cofounder. Later in the year, Howard Putnam is unanimously elected President and Chief Executive Officer. Herb stays on as permanent Chairman of the Board. Southwest begins service to Amarillo on December 12.

1979

Self-ticketing machines are introduced in ten cities to make it even faster and more convenient for Customers to fly Southwest, and we begin service to New Orleans from Dallas—the first city outside of Texas to be served by Southwest. The Wright Amendment, a federal law restricting interstate travel from Dallas Love Field is enacted. With more planes, more flights and more responsive service, Southwest becomes America's "Company Plane."

1980

Albuquerque, Oklahoma City and Tulsa join the Southwest system on three consecutive days in April. In December, Southwest adds its 22nd Boeing 737 to the family and christens it the "Rollin W. King" in honor of the co-founder of the airline. It is the first 737 to be completely owned by Southwest Airlines.

1981

Southwest celebrates a decade of "Love Southwest Style." With fun, games, and more savings for everyone, Southwest launches its next decade of outstanding service. Howard Putnam leaves Southwest for Braniff. At the end of ten years, Southwest employs 2,129 Employees and operates 27 aircraft.

1982

Herbert D. Kelleher comes aboard as permanent President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board for Southwest Airlines, and Southwest spreads its wings to San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Kansas City, and Phoenix.

1983

Major schedule increases are adopted, three additional Boeing 737-200s are purchased, and Southwest flies over 9,500,000 satisfied Customers. Southwest begins service to Denver’s Stapleton Airport—operational issues would cause the airline to cease Denver service in 1986.

1984

Southwest is ranked number one in Customer satisfaction for the fourth consecutive year. Service begins to Little Rock. Southwest Airlines' inflight magazine, Spirit, celebrates its 13th year of flying high, and on December 17, the 81st Anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight, Southwest introduces the first 737-300, christened the "Spirit of Kitty Hawk," to the world.

1985

Southwest takes off with new service to Ontario, St. Louis, and Chicago's convenient Midway Airport. Southwest names the Ronald McDonald House as its primary charity and launches the "Just Say When" campaign, which establishes Southwest as the most convenient point-to-point carrier in the nation. Southwest purchases Muse Air and operates it as a wholly owned subsidiary.

1986

Southwest celebrates 15 years of low fares, good times, and high spirits! Southwest fliers have even more fun with the introduction of Fun Fares, and over 13 million passengers think traveled with Southwest. A new multi-million dollar Training Center for Flight Crews opens. Service begins to “Music City,” Nashville. After 15 years, Southwest has 79 aircraft and 5,819 Employees.

1987

Southwest celebrates the sixth year in a row as a recipient of the Best Consumer Satisfaction record of any continental U.S. carrier. Southwest begins its “The Company Plane” advertising, and the airline begins The Company Club, Southwest’s frequent flyer program that will eventually become Rapid Rewards.

1988

Southwest Airlines and SeaWorld of Texas join fins to promote Texas as a major tourist attraction. Through the "New Friends" campaign, Southwest becomes Sea World of Texas' official airline and creates “Shamu One,” a Boeing 737 painted like Shamu the killer whale. Later in the year, Southwest becomes the official airline of SeaWorld of California, and Southwest wins the first monthly Triple Crown for Best Ontime Record, Best Baggage Handling, and Fewest Customer Complaints.

1989

Southwest reaches the billion dollar revenue mark and becomes a "Major" airline! “Shamu Two” is born, and service begins from Oakland and Indianapolis. CBS News profiles Southwest on “60 Minutes.”

1990

Southwest Airlines creates its Corporate Culture Committee to take the lead in preserving the airline’s unique Culture. Southwest introduces the 737-500 into airline service. Terminal 4 in Phoenix opens. Service begins to Burbank and Reno. And “Lone Star One” takes to the sky in advance of next year’s 20th Anniversary, as Southwest’s Anniversary “flagship”.

1991

On June 18, Southwest Airlines celebrates 20 Years of Loving You! with simultaneous birthday parties at its 32 stations. Service to Sacramento begins. Southwest Employees launch “LUVGRAMS—Send Your Heart to Saudi” to support troops in the first Gulf War. At year end, Southwest has 9,778 Employees and 124 aircraft.

1992

Southwest wins the first annual Triple Crown in 1992 - a feat no other airline has been able to match in a single month! The airline begins service to the Ohio cities of Cleveland and Columbus. Herb Kelleher and Stevens Aviation Chairman Kurt Herwald square off in the Malice in Dallas arm wrestling event for the rights to use the slogan, “Just Plane Smart.” Although Herb loses, Kurt allows Southwest to use the slogan, and local charities are the real winners.

1993

Southwest expands to the east coast and begins service to Baltimore/Washington International Airport, and service also begins to Louisville. For Valentine’s Day, Southwest awards the first Heroes of the Heart, which recognizes work groups who usually aren’t seen by the public but are vital to the airline’s success. On December 31, the acquisition of Morris Air is completed, which opens up the Pacific Northwest to Southwest service.

1994

The industry leader does it again! Southwest introduces Ticketless Travel in four cities. “Arizona One” joins the fleet. The integration of Morris Air continues, with seven new cities opening, including Seattle, Spokane, Portland, Salt Lake City, and Boise in the Pacific Northwest, along with Orange Country and Tucson. The joining of the two carriers is symbolized in a Las Vegas wedding ceremony at the Graceland Wedding Chapel.

1995

Ticketless Travel becomes available systemwide in January. “California One” debuts in Sacramento and tours the entire state. Southwest adds service to Omaha. Southwest Airlines wins the fourth consecutive Triple Crown in 1995. The “Southwest Airlines Home Gate” (which will eventually become southwest.com) opens on the Internet.

1996

Florida service is added - Tampa Bay and Ft. Lauderdale in January and Orlando in April. Southwest celebrates 25 years of serving you and puts the 25th Anniversary plane—“Silver One”—into service. Ticketless Travel Online debuts on southwest.com, and Southwest renames its frequent flyer program, which now becomes Rapid Rewards. In October, Southwest inaugurates service from Providence, Rhode Island. After a quarter-century, Southwest is flying 243 aircraft and has 22,944 Employees.

1997

Southwest starts out the year with service to our 50th city—Jacksonville, Florida. Jackson, Mississippi becomes the 51st city added in August. “Triple Crown One”—a tribute to the Employees of Southwest Airlines is introduced and joins the fleet, and after five consecutive yearly wins, the Triple Crown trophy is retired. The Adopt-A-Pilot Community Service program begins, and Southwest Pilots adopt a fifth grade class around the system. The Shelby Amendment modifies the Wright Amendment to allow nonstop service from Dallas Love to Mississippi, Alabama, and Kansas. Southwest is the launch customer for Boeing of the next generation Boeing 737-700, and in December, Southwest accepts the delivery of its first Boeing 737-700.

1998

Southwest Airlines begins new service to Manchester, New Hampshire on June 7, 1998. Southwest moves into new facilities in St. Louis, Sacramento, and Ontario. Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, Southwest experiments with transcontinental flights.

1999

Southwest Airlines begins new service to Long Island MacArthur Airport on March 14 and to Raleigh-Durham on June 6. On May 23, all airline service moves from Austin’s Mueller Airport to Bergstrom International. “Nevada One,” a high-flying salute to the state of Nevada, is introduced. In August, Southwest receives its 300th aircraft. Service to Hartford’s Bradley International Airport begins on October 31.

2000

On May 1, Southwest Airlines introduces "SWABIZ," a tool that assists company travel managers in booking and tracking trips made through southwest.com. Southwest holds the first annual Phoenix LUV Classic Golf Tournament and Party on May 5. Proceeds benefit Southwest's primary charity, the Ronald McDonald House. New service to Albany International Airport begins on May 8 and to Buffalo-Niagara International Airport on October 8. Southwest's tenth specialty aircraft, "New Mexico One," is unveiled.

2001

Southwest Airlines begins new service to West Palm Beach, Florida on January 22. On June 18, Southwest officially turns 30 years old and marks the milestone with the unveiling of “Spirit One.” To celebrate the past and the future, all Boeing 737 deliveries will be in the new "Canyon Blue" exterior color scheme with an all leather seating configuration. The existing fleet will be retrofitted over time into the new livery. Herb retains his Executive Chairman duties, while Jim Parker becomes CEO, and Colleen Barrett becomes the first woman President of a major airline. The September 11 terrorist attacks decimate the airline industry, but Southwest maintains full employment and even opens Norfolk on October 8. At year’s end, the airline has 29,274 Employees and 344 aircraft.

2002

Southwest begins the gradual retirement of reusable plastic boarding cards and teams with IBM to offer nearly 250 airport self-service checkin kiosks. The project is part of a nationwide effort to reduce the amount of time Southwest Customers spend in line and to improve the airport experience following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

2003

Southwest Airlines announces that performance-enhancing Blended Winglets will be added to its current and future fleet of Boeing 737-700’s. The visually distinctive Winglets improve performance by extending the airplane’s range, saving fuel, lowering engine maintenance costs, and reducing takeoff noise. Southwest Airlines also announces its partnership with the A&E Television Network to film a real-life, behind the scenes look at the drama surrounding commercial air travel. Air Transport World selects Southwest Airlines the Airline of the Year for 2003, and Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards Program is honored with first place awards for Best Customer Service, Best Bonus Promotion, and Best Award Redemption at InsideFlyer magazine’s 15th annual Freddie Awards.

2004

Southwest Airlines announces its 31st consecutive year of profitability and begins offering online boarding passes via southwest.com. The online feature provides additional convenience to Customers by allowing them to proceed to their departure gate without stopping at the ticket counter, Skycap, or self-service kiosk. On May 9, Southwest Airlines launches service to Philadelphia, its 60th airport. With the addition of its Philadelphia service, Southwest now operates 2,800 daily flights to 60 airports in 59 cities across the United States. In July, Gary Kelly replaces the retiring Jim Parker as CEO, and in November, Gary announces that Southwest is no longer “neutral” on the Wright Amendment and issues a call for its repeal.

2005

Southwest Airlines launches its codeshare agreement with ATA Airlines, providing Southwest Customers access to more cities with more connections and generating almost $50 million in annual revenue for the Company. Southwest announces its 32nd consecutive year of profitability, an industry record. Southwest introduces both DING!, the first-ever direct link to Customer’s computer desktops that delivers live updates on the hottest deals, and the southwestgiftcard™. Southwest begins flying to the wonderful cities of Pittsburgh and Ft. Myers. To support the efforts to repeal the Wright Amendment, Southwest launches www.setlovefree.com. Southwest surpasses 3,000 daily flights and unveils two specialty aircraft—“Maryland One” and “Slam Dunk One” (in honor of its "official airline" status with the NBA). southwest.com extends online checkin to 24 hours prior to departure. And finally, Missouri is lifted from the constraints of the Wright Amendment!

2006

Southwest celebrates its 35th Anniversary on June 18. Southwest returns to Denver, and Washington/Dulles becomes a Southwest city. In April, Southwest joins the blogosphere with the launch of its corporate blog, Nuts About Southwest (www.blogsouthwest.com). Southwest teams up with America’s Second Harvest during the summer to provide peanut butter to food banks around the system. On October 17, the Wright Amendment Reform Act becomes law, and allows Southwest to begin selling through tickets and to operate direct, one-stop (same plane) and connecting service between all parts of the country and Love Field. (Nonstop flights will be permitted in2014.)

As you can see, we've been busy these past 36+ years. And we promise that the future will be just as funfilled and exciting as the last. We've accomplished quite a bit, and along the way we've earned a title no other airline in the industry can claim: the leading low-fare, high-frequency, point-to-point carrier in America. We are proud of our accomplishments, and it just goes to show that time really does fly when you're having fun!

Updated: August 1, 2007