Southwest Airlines Community

Recently, we helped a Southwest Customer, Jason, propose to his girlfriend, Allison.  Jason handed out roses on the plane, and when arriving in Midway, each Passenger emerged from the jetbridge carrying a rose and a note.  A lot of work when into Jason's big proposal, and this is what he said about the process: The idea for this proposal came from a conversation I had on a flight from Denver to Chicago a few years ago. The plane was pretty empty so the flight attendants sat with the 10 or so passengers and talked. I brought up the idea then and the crew member I was talking with mentioned Southwest would love to help. My family has also been friends with a father and son who both fly for Southwest, and at my brother's 30th birthday party I asked the son, Mike Van Rosendale, if he could help. He told me to send him an email with exactly what I wanted to do. This proposal took a lot of planning, a lot of help and a lot of luck. I know that marriage and the rest of my life will depend on those things as well. I also think this is the BEST proposal ever (maybe I'm biased), but if you had the opportunity to get to know Allison she truly deserves it. She is wonderful and I am very excited to move forward together. I am truly grateful for Southwest's help and there is no doubt who will will chose to fly for the rest of our lives. Thank you,  Jason ... View more

Southwest and AirTran will be monitoring the impact of Isaac to mitigate impacts to our service. We are offering flexible accommodation for Customers scheduled to travel in parts of the Caribbean, Florida, and New Orleans.   Customers and media may access the latest updates at these links: southwest.com or airtran.com   ... View more

If you happen to be in the airport in Denver or Baltimore, and find yourself suddenly entering the filming of a television show, don’t be alarmed: Southwest Airlines is headed back to cable!  Joining forces with the TLC network, production will begin this week on a new series giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at modern air travel.  We’ll bring you tales of our Employees helping Customers and each other, all the while featuring our Legendary Customer Service and Spirit.  Think of it like Nuts About Southwest, only a lot more visual! The show will follow all aspects of Southwest Airlines, from Ramp Agents and Customer Service Agents to Flight Attendants and Pilots (and many more). A title and premiere date for this new show have not yet been set, but the network has ordered 13 half-hour episodes. We’re excited to open our doors to TLC viewers! So stay tuned, will ya? ... View more

At Southwest Airlines, we celebrated our 40 th  birthday in style last week! Now, we are excited to announce we are sharing the LUV with you—our Customers. Today, we are launching a 72-hour sale with fares as low as $40 one-way! It’s our way of saying thank you for keeping us in business for 40 years. For 72-hours only, you can purchase one-way tickets for $40, $80, or $120 based on length of travel (additional taxes, fees, and exclusions apply). For travel up to 450 miles, fares are $40 one-way. For travel between 451 and 1250 miles, fares are $80 one-way. For travel more than 1251 miles, fares are $120 one-way. These super low fares are available for purchase through 11:59 p.m. PDT June 23, 2011, for travel beginning Aug. 23, 2011, through Nov. 16, 2011. To see the list of markets, prices, and to take advantage of these special fares, visit www.southwest.com.  Our friends at AirTran Airways, Southwest’s wholly owned subsidiary, launched a parallel fare sale today. AirTran is celebrating Southwest’s 40 years of great service with fares as low as $40 one-way. AirTran’s fares along with terms and conditions can be found at www.airtran.com. Here’s to the next 40 years! ... View more

Have you seen these amazing basketball shots? Check out Dude Perfect’s newest video where they incorporate a luggage cart, the flight deck, and an aircraft’s jet stream to make one-of-a-kind baskets! Don’t forget, you can score big points too! Sign up for the 10 Million Point Giveaway where Rapid Rewards Members (and those wishing to join) can be one of 100 lucky winners who will each win 100,000 points in the new program. We will unveil the Big Shot and the winners next week so sign up now. Details here: www.southwest.com/bigshot ... View more

Southwest Airlines is proud to celebrate 25 years of service at Nashville International Airport and of course, to celebrate, we’re throwing an awesome party! Today, national radio and television personality, Storme Warren emceed an event at the Bridgestone Arena Plaza. There was FUN for the whole family at Nashville’s “birthday party” including free soft drinks, hotdogs, ice cream, and cupcakes and music from 650 AM WSM radio. Attendees also played games to win tickets to this Saturday’s Grand Ole Opry shows featuring Carrie Underwood, Pam Tillis, Tommy Shaw, and more, entered with GNASH to win Predators tickets, and even submitted their names to win roundtrip tickets from Southwest Airlines! Nashville Mayor Karl Dean was scheduled to speak at the event along with Butch Spyridon, President of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Raul Regalado, President and CEO of Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, to honor the long-standing and successful partnership that has developed between Nashville and Southwest over the past 25 years. To celebrate in true Nashville style, the event concluded with a free concert by former American Idol contestant and CBS Early Show contributor, Ayla Brown. We are also excited to announce our newest promotion, “Get Amped Up in Music City!” Contestants can enter the sweepstakes at www.southwest.com/getampedup for a chance to experience a high-voltage 4 th of July weekend of music from rock and pop to metal and country all live from the music capital of the world. Today through June 15, 2011, Southwest will give away weekly prizes ranging from Opry tickets, autographed Darius Rucker CDs, and more. One lucky winner and guest will be chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Nashville where they will find themselves hanging out with Darius Rucker on the 4 th of July, sitting on the stage of the famed Grand Ole Opry, singing along with U2, being escorted around like a star, and so much more!  Southwest Airlines has been rockin’ the skies of Nashville for since 1986, and we are so excited to kick off 25 more! ... View more

Some of my coworkers and I traveled to Orlando last Thursday to attend what Southwest Airlines calls the "Message to the Field." Each year, our CEO Gary Kelly travels across the country delivering his "State of the Company" address to Employees at Message to the Field events in numerous cities. Herb started these years ago, and the tradition has held. At these events, Employees are able to ask Gary questions. Hearing Gary’s direction first hand is extremely beneficial and helps all of us focus on the same overall goals each year.   The Orlando Message was held at SeaWorld, so I was able to enjoy the park before the big event began—with about 2,000 of my Fellow Employees!  I won't get into everything that Gary covered in his discussion, but one thing I was very excited about was when he announced that all Southwest Employees (including me!) would be getting a $150 bonus—just in time for Valentine's Day! The bonus was given to celebrate our Company's outstanding performance in 2010, and I could tell that Gary was thankful for the opportunity to share this great news. And judging by the crowd reaction, everyone LUVed the news!   Gary also announced that Southwest’s 2010 Profits allow for a 2010 ProfitSharing contribution of $157 million.  This means each eligible Employee will receive a ProfitSharing contribution equal to 5.7 percent of their eligible compensation. And if that wasn't enough, Southwest also contributed $193 million in Company match to our 401(k) plans in 2010.  Added up, that equals a total retirement benefit for Southwest Employees of $350 million in 2010 alone.   When Gary says taking care of our People is his top priority, he means it. Congratulations to my Fellow Southwest Employees on an awesome 2010!   ... View more

Alright, everyone clear your calendars Sunday night. This is your official request to watch Southwest Airlines make a big difference to a very deserving family on this week’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. We have worked with the heartwarming show in the past, but this time, we’ve definitely gone above and beyond to make a family’s dream come true. You might have heard the hint that the show asked us for a “part” of something that flies in the sky and is 20 feet long and curved. Well, now is your chance to solve the mystery! We are so honored to get the chance to work with such a great show and can’t wait to see how our contribution is used. So grab some popcorn and tissues (you know you’re going to cry) and watch the episode this Sunday, Feb 13 th , on ABC. The show is set to air at 8 pm Eastern/7 pm Central.  Check your local listings for details in your area. ... View more

Southwest Airlines is proud to be a part of one of the most heart-warming, positive shows on television, ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In our seven years as a partner, we’ve done everything from shipping the Designers’ hard-to-find items through our Cargo department, helping design an authentic “airplane room” for a boy who loved aviation, sending a bunch of Employees to New Orleans to help rebuild a community center, and unloading canned goods for a mother whose passion was feeding the hungry. But, our next integration may be the most unique of them all! Extreme Makeover: Home Edition called us to ask if we could help them with a FUN project. I can’t give away too much, but let’s just say they asked for “part” of something that flies in the sky.  The part needed to be 20 feet long and curved.  I called my friends over in Maintenance & Engineering, thinking this was long shot – I expected them to laugh and just say no.  Fortunately, Southwest is a Company that likes to say yes, and we just happened to have an aircraft retiring that was about to be sent out to be scrapped and recycled.  We were able to help make this Designers dream and a family’s dreams come true.  It took a lot of coordination from several departments, but the 20-foot part was strapped onto a flatbed truck for its 24-hour journey and made it to its location in time for the build.  It took a week to build and a crane to lift, and you won’t believe how they used the Southwest part.  Well, I guess you will have to tune in to ABC on Feb. 13, to find out! We can’t spill the beans, but the house is ready for takeoff!  ... View more

The Sundance Film Festival begins tomorrow, January 20, in Park City, Utah, and Southwest Airlines will be there! We are the Official Airline of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. As the official airline, we have a lot of great opportunities to bring the Southwest Airlines brand to the artists and filmmakers whose vision, creativity, and passion fuel the festival every year. At the festival headquarters where all attendees check-in, we will have a Southwest Airlines lounge set up with our gate area seating and power stations for folks to recharge their electronic devices. We also will have peanuts, pretzels, and LIFT® Coffee in all of the theater lounges for filmmakers and actors to enjoy. At every theater, Southwest Airlines boarding signs will be displayed to help movie goers know where to line up. Each of the waitlist tickets will have the Southwest logo on it with a letter and number, just like we board our planes! Our Salt Lake City (SLC) Employees will be at theaters across the city to play games, sign attendees up to win prizes, and pass out peanuts to folks waiting in line to see films! In addition, Southwest Airlines has the opportunity to host a private film screening for our corporate travel partners, community partners, social media winners, and SLC Employees! It will be a great night to thank those who have helped Southwest succeed in SLC. Southwest will be all over the festival this year, representing all the great things about Southwest!  Stay tuned to the blog for updates and a peek inside the Sundance Film Festival.    ... View more

Southwest Airlines is excited to announce that the Southwest Airlines application is now available for the Android and BlackBerry smart phones. Southwest Airlines is one of the first airlines to have an app for all three mobile platforms.  And get excited, it’s FREE! Traveling with Southwest Airlines is even more convenient. Unlike other airline travel apps, Southwest allows you to book flights from within the app rather than being redirected to the airline’s browser-based site. It’s an easy-to-use tool for those Customers on the go! You can use your app to: • Book and modify flights • Book and modify car reservations • Check in for flights • Check flight status • Access flight schedules • Log into Rapid Rewards • Enroll in Rapid Rewards • Sign-up for Click ‘n Save e-mail updates Not only is Southwest making strides with Customer-facing applications, but the airline is working on an exclusive Employee application coming in early 2011. The Employee app will allow Southwest Employees to view important Company information from Southwest's intranet directly from their smartphones!  Just another exciting update coming from your favorite airline.   ... View more

We are honored to once again be the Official Airline of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. We are proud to support, for the second year in a row, the artists and filmmakers whose vision, creativity, and passion fuel the Sundance Film Festival every year. As a pioneer in aviation, Southwest salutes the filmmakers who seek new horizons and embrace possibilities. We see the festival as an opportunity to expand  our Branded Entertainment practice —an effort focused on integrating Southwest into television and film productions. But this year, we’d like to give some of our frequent travelers the opportunity to join us at the world renowned event! We are offering our Customers the opportunity to win travel and tickets to attend the 2011 Sundance Film Festival simply by using Gowalla, the location service.  Beginning today through Dec. 31 2010, each time a Customer uses Gowalla to check-in at a Southwest Airlines airport with nonstop service into Salt Lake City, that Customer will be offered a Southwest Airlines Sundance Film Festival pin and be entered to win roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines and tickets to a Festival screening!  Participation is easy, just follow these steps: • Customers must download the Gowalla app to their smartphone. • Upon arriving at an airport that has nonstop Southwest service to Salt Lake City, Customers need to open the Gowalla app and look for their airport location. (Example: Phoenix International Airport). • Customers will then select that airport location and hit the orange check-in button. • After check-in, Customers will immediately receive a message if they’ve won a pair of roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines.  • A more detailed explanation of how Gowalla works can be found here: http://www.gowalla.com/ Southwest Airlines/Gowalla Instant Win Game Official Rules NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO PLAY OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA EXCLUDING ALASKA, FLORIDA, HAWAII, NEW YORK AND RHODE ISLAND WHO ARE OF LEGAL AGE OF MAJORITY IN THEIR JURISDICTION OF RESIDENCE (AND AT LEAST 21) AS OF DATE OF ENTRY. YOU MUST HAVE A GOWALLA ACCOUNT TO PARTICIPATE 1. HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Beginning at 12:00 p.m. Central Time ("CT") on 12/8/10 through 2:59:59 p.m. CT on 12/31/10 ("Promotion Period"), using a portable electronic device (iPad, iPhone, Droid, Blackberry, Palm, etc.), log-in to your Gowalla account. Click the "check-in" button while at a participating Southwest Airlines location and either a virtual technology based Southwest Airlines branded item ("Item") may be received which can be added to the User's Gowalla Passport or you may be notified that you are an Instant Prize winner. If you are an Instant Prize winner (subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules), you will instantly receive a message saying "Congratulations!" with instructions on how to claim your prize. NOTE: If you do not have a Gowalla account, you may sign-up for a free account at http://www.gowalla.com/. In order to participate, you must be a wireless service subscriber with a Gowalla account. 2. Eligibility:  Contest open to all legal US residents, 21 years and older as of  November 12, 2010.  Employees of Southwest Airlines Co. Gowalla, the Sundance Film Festival, and their advertising and promotions agencies, and their immediate families (spouse and parents, children and siblings and their spouses) and individuals living in the same households of such employees are ineligible.  Void where prohibited or restricted by law.  Contest subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.  By participating, entrants agree to these official rules and accept decisions of the Sponsor as final.  Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law.  The promotion is offered in the United States only and shall only be construed and evaluated according to United States law.  Do not proceed in this site if you are not located in the United States. 3. INSTANT WIN PRIZES/PRIZE ODDS: Instant Win Prizes and Items are randomly seeded by date and time. A total of twenty (20) Instant Win Prizes will be awarded during the Promotion Period. For purposes of this Promotion, a "week" is defined as 3:00:00 p.m. CT on Monday through 2:59:59 p.m. CT the following Monday. Odds of winning an Instant Prize or Item will depend on the number of eligible game plays received and corresponding time of the game play. If you are the first to play the game at a randomly determined winning date and time, as determined and verified by Sponsor, or if no one plays at such date and time and you are the first to play immediately after such time, as determined and verified by Sponsor, you will receive a winning message or Item. The quantities, description and ARV of each prize to be awarded in the Instant Win Game hereunder are as follows: Quantity / Description /ARV's: Instant Win Prizes: Ten (10) Instant Win prizes will be awarded during the promotion period. Each prize consists of two roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines from the closest airport to winner's residence served by Southwest Airlines (subject to Southwest Airlines terms and conditions; certain restrictions may apply) and two tickets to a film screening at the Sundance Film Festival. Each prize is valued at $1,000 (ARV). 4.PRIZE AWARDING: No transfers, cash awards, or prize substitutions are permitted, except by Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize with one of comparable or greater value, at its sole discretion. Prize winners may be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability Release and (where legal) Publicity Release within seven (7) days of issuance of notification. Potential Instant Win Prize winners may be notified by email and will be directed to a prize claim form to complete and submit the online prize redemption form. Redemption form must be completed upon request or prize may be forfeited as determined by Sponsor. Incomplete redemption form submissions will not be processed. Failure to timely claim a prize will result in prize forfeiture. Prizes will be fulfilled six (6) to eight (8) weeks after the winner has been verified. All prize awards are subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules. If any potential winner is ineligible, if prize is returned as undeliverable, or if potential prize winner fails to comply with these Official Rules, they will forfeit the prize. Any unclaimed prizes will not be awarded. 5.GENERAL: Participants agree to comply with these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winners, by accepting prizes, consent to the use of their names, cities and states of residence and photographs (including Gowalla profile picture, if applicable) for advertising, promotional and other purposes by Sponsor and its designees, in any and all media now or hereafter devised worldwide without limitation and without additional compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law. Only the published number of Instant Win Prizes stated in these Official Rules will be awarded. In the event the number of winning messages issued exceeds the number of Instant Win Prizes listed in these Official Rules due to computer, mechanical, typographical, printing, electronic, seeding, or other errors, Sponsor reserves the right to conduct a random drawing from among the eligible, non-suspect and valid winning message prize claimants to award the listed number of Instant Win Prizes. All participants agree, as a condition of participation in this Promotion, that Released Parties are not liable for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly in connection with accessing the Promotion, participation in any aspect of this Promotion or the acceptance, possession, and use of any prize awarded. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any person and void game plays and/or prize claims of any person who it believes has tampered with the entry process or any other component of this Promotion, whose conduct or actions affect the administration, integrity, security, fairness or proper conduct of this Promotion, or who is in violation of these Official Rules. Sponsor also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to void suspect game plays, emails or prize claims and/or to modify, cancel or suspend this Promotion (or portion thereof) should virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention or other causes corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play of the Promotion or for any other reason, as determined by Sponsor and, in the event the Promotion is cancelled, at its discretion, randomly select potential winners for any unclaimed Instant Win Prizes from among all eligible non-suspect, non-winning game plays received prior to event requiring such action. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a participant, game plays and/or prize claims will be deemed to be made by the authorized account holder of the email address associated with the game play. CAUTION: Any attempt to damage the website or undermine the legitimate operation of this Promotion is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages and other remedies (including attorneys' fees) from such individual to the fullest extent permitted by law. Submission of a Check In constitutes your consent to participate in this Promotion and consent for Sponsor to obtain, use, and transfer your name, address and other details for Promotion administration purposes. Except as noted in these Official Rules, information collected for this Promotion is used only for the purpose of Promotion administration and winner notification, and will not be re-used, sold or shared in any manner by Sponsor or any third parties unless entrant has elected to receive additional information and promotional material from the Sponsor or a third party. Any Check In generated by script, macro or other automated means or with the intent to subvert the game play will be void. Released Parties are not responsible for late, lost, stolen, garbled, misdirected, delayed, incomplete, inaccurate, incorrect, damaged, illegible, or undelivered game plays, prize redemption forms, prize claims, emails or Promotion data; any error, omission, interruption in service due to system upgrades, repairs, modifications or other causes, defect/delay in transmission or communication; telephonic, human or computer failures, problems or errors; theft, destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, Promotion data; technical, electronic, network, computer or mechanical malfunctions, or typographical, printing, seeding or other errors whether caused by equipment, programming, human error or otherwise, relating to/in connection with Promotion, including, without limitation, errors in connection with the administration of the Promotion, Promotion data processing, the announcement of the prizes, game plays, or in any other Promotion-related materials; interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider, cable, satellite or other connections; Internet traffic congestion or any technical problem, including, without limitation, any injury or damage to any person's computer or portable electronic device related to/resulting from Promotion participation; errors or omissions in these Official Rules, in any Promotion-related ads/materials; human-processing error; electronic equipment, computer hardware or software failures; or inaccurate entry information, whether caused by equipment, programming, human error, or otherwise. 6.LIST OF WINNERS: For the names of the winners, available after 12/31/10, send a self-address, stamped envelope for receipt by 1/30/11 to: Southwest Airlines Emerging Media 2702 Love Field Drive, Dallas, TX 75235 7.  Sponsor/Administrator  The contest is sponsored by Southwest Airlines 2702 Love Field Drive, Dallas, TX 75235 ... 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There may be a chill in the air, but Southwest today announced some pretty hot travel deals!  With nationwide air fares starting as low as $59 one-way to select destinations for travel any day of the week, our Customers can take advantage of these super low fares and start planning their winter vacations today.  These fares are available only at southwest.com with a 14-day advance purchase today through December 13, 2010, and are good for travel between January 4, 2011 and March 9, 2011. To see the list of markets, prices, or to take advantage of these special fares yourself, visit southwest.com. ADDITIONAL FARE RULES Fares are available only on southwest.com. Southwest Airlines fare sales are available with a 14-day advance purchase today through Dec. 13, 2010, 11:59 p.m. PST, and travel must take place between Jan. 4, 2011, and March 9, 2011. Fares do not include a federal segment tax of $3.70 per takeoff and landing.  Fares do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9.00 and U.S. government-imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $5.00 one-way. Travel to/from Washington, D.C. (Dulles) and Ft. Myers, Fla. is not included in the sale.  Seats are limited. Fares are available for one-way travel. Fares may be combined with other combinable fares.  Fares are not combinable with Senior Fares. When combining fares, all rules and restrictions apply. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines.  Fares are not available through the Group Desk.  Any change in the itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime fare. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Fares are valid on published, scheduled service only. ... View more

Southwest Airlines participated in the NBC show School Pride to support communities coming together to renovate their aging and broken public schools. While transforming the school, the community also restores its sense of value and school pride. Southwest Airlines provided airline tickets for the production crew to travel to different schools to assist students in these renovations.   Beyond airline tickets, our Employees lent their Servant’s Hearts to the cause and donated their time to help students paint a Los Angeles middle school. More than 25 Employees from Burbank and Los Angeles came out for a day of volunteering and FUN! The cameras followed students, teachers, parents, and our volunteers as they rolled up their sleeves to rebuild to Hollenbeck Middle School. ... View more

Southwest Announces 72-Hour Sale With Spooktacular Fares as Low as $30 One-Way to Select Destinations It’s back again!  A Southwest Airlines fare sale with fares so frighteningly low, it’ll only be around for 72 hours!  Customers can purchase one-way tickets for $30, $60, $90, or $120 to select destinations, based on length of travel. These fares are available for purchase today through 11:59 p.m. PDT Oct. 28, 2010, and are good for travel every day except Sundays between Dec. 1, 2010, and Dec. 15, 2010, and between Jan. 4, 2011, and Feb. 16, 2011. For travel up to 450 miles, fares are $30 one-way. For travel between 451 and 1,000 miles, fares are $60 one-way. For travel between 1,001 and 1,500 miles, fares are $90 one-way. For travel more than 1,501 miles, fares are $120 one-way. It’s an early Halloween treat from your favorite airline! Book now, only at http://www.southwest.com/landing/halloween_offer.html?src=PREMNASWOWSALE000101026! FARE RULES Fares are available on only http://www.southwest.com/landing/halloween_offer.html?src=PREMNASWOWSALE000101026. Southwest Airlines sale fares are available from Oct. 26, 2010, through 11:59 pm PDT Oct. 28, 2010. Travel must take place between Dec. 1, 2010, and Dec. 15, 2010, or between Jan. 4, 2011, and Feb. 16, 2011. Travel valid every day except Sundays. Fares do not include a federal segment tax of $3.70 per takeoff and landing.  Fares do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9.00 and U.S. government-imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $5.00 one-way.  Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or to all destinations.  Fares are available for one-way travel. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines. Fares are not available through the Group Desk.  Any change in the itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Reservations made through southwestvacations.com are not eligible for this promotion. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime Fare. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Fares are valid on published, scheduled service only.     ... View more

Happy 5th Anniversary, RSW! It seems like it was just yesterday we opened our operation at Ft. Myers. In the last five years, our nearly 40 Employees at RSW have been working hard and having a little FUN, too!  Ft. Myers was the 61st city in the Southwest system, and we opened with nine daily nonstop departures to five cities. Since then, our service has remained consistent, and we now have ten daily nonstop departures to five cities. The actual anniversary was Saturday, Oct. 2, but we are celebrating today, Tuesday, Oct. 5. Our Employees and Customers are sure to feel the LUV on this milestone anniversary! We have yummy treats to snack on, and we also have massage therapists in the gate area and breakrooms for everyone to enjoy. Breakrooms are likely filled with laughter and friendly competition today as we have games like Nintendo Wii for Employees to play. Finally, to honor Southwest’s commitment to the community, RSW Employees are Sharing their Spirit by donating their time and talents to the Harry Chapin Food Bank. Way to go, RSW--keep up the great work! ... View more

One year ago, we entered the Big Apple and we’ve been thriving ever since! Today, we kick off our celebratory events at LaGuardia airport and at the Southwest Porch at Bryant Park. Today, we will be promoting our Business Select Fare at the Porch at Bryant Park by offering branded souvenir cups to Porch patrons. During lunch and happy hour, Customers can check the bottom of their cups for the chance to win one of 16 pair of Yankees tickets for the 7/3 and 7/4 games. In the evening, drinks and free popcorn will be served in the Business Select souvenir cups! On Tuesday, we are partying at the airport! We will celebrate our awesome LGA Employees with food, games, and fun! We appreciate everything they do to serve our New York Customers! We will also have gate games and prizes for our Customers. It’s sure to be a ton of fun. So if you’re traveling on Tuesday, stop by Gate B4 to join in the celebration. That brings us to Wednesday! From 6-8p, we will celebrate “Appy Hour” at the Porch. Porch goers who display the Southwest app on their mobile device will get a free appetizer! We are talking with Customers about our mobile functionality and how convenient Southwest is on the go! On Thursday, July 1, we are kicking off the holiday weekend with a Cookout at The Porch! ‘wichcraft will be grilling savory snacks and serving up sweet treats at the Porch.  We’re commemorating the upcoming 4 th of July weekend by giving away 30 roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines to our nation’s capitol! Come enjoy food, fun, and celebrate our NYC anniversary! ... View more

If you read the blog lately, you realize we turned 39 on Friday! But the party doesn’t stop at Southwest Airlines—we’re spreading the cheer to you! Today, we announced fares as low as $39 one-way to celebrate 39 years of service. For 72-hours only, you can purchase one-way tickets for $39, $79, or $119, based on length of travel (additional taxes, fees, and exclusions apply). For travel up to 450 miles, fares are $39 one-way. For travel between 451 and 1000 miles, fares are $79 one-way. For travel more than 1001 miles, fares are $119 one-way. These super low fares are available through 11:59 pm PDT June 24, 2010, for travel beginning Sept. 8, 2010, through Nov. 17, 2010. To see the list of markets, prices/fare rules, and to take advantage of these special fares, visit southwest.com. Don’t forget to bring your two (free) bags along as well! ... View more

On May 10, 2010, Southwest began offering a new beverage onboard: Corona Extra. We already have some great beers inflight: Miller Lite, Bud Light, Heineken, and Michelob Ultra, and this new “cerveza” is just one more tasty way to enhance the Customer experience onboard. But wait, there’s more! Beginning today, southwest.com will host a “My Corona Moment” contest. Through our Twitter account, @SouthwestAir, send us your best picture of you having that moment of pure bliss and relaxation with a Corona Extra in your hand. Whether you’re on the beach, in your backyard hammock, or wiggling your toes in the sandy white beaches of Northwest Florida (hello Panama City Beach opening!) we’d love to see how you unwind with Corona Extra. Submit a photo using @SouthwestAir and the hashtag #mycorona. Visit southwest.com/mycorona to view rules and regulations. Oh, I almost forgot! The grand prize is two roundtrip tickets on Southwest and a three night stay at a Sterling Resort in Panama City Beach (see, there was a reason I mentioned our newest city). So whatcha waiting for? Grab your flip flops and a slice of lime, and find your “Corona Moment” today. ... View more

Today, we began selectively offering two products to Customers in the air booking section of southwest.com.  As Customers finalize their ticket purchase, some of them will see the option to purchase EarlyBird Check-in, a service Southwest Airlines already offers, and Trip Protection, a new service through a partnership with Access America.  To ensure we maintain the best shopping experience for our Customers, these new shopping features are being introduced slowly and not all Customers will see these options today. With EarlyBird Check-in, Customers are automatically checked-in so you can receive a better boarding position that is confirmed for your trip. Since you're boarding earlier, there will be more open seats and overhead bin space from which to choose.  Until today, all Customers had to purchase EarlyBird in a separate transaction after they purchased their air travel.  With the new shopping feature, Customers will begin to have the option to add EarlyBird Check-in during the air purchase process, making it even easier to add the convenience of EarlyBird Check-in to their travel plans. Trip Protection is a new offering from Southwest. Trip Protection is a combination of insurance benefits and assistance services specifically designed to help protect travelers while away from home.  If your travel plans change for an unexpected covered reason, you’ll be reimbursed for the related expenses incurred. We are partnering with Access America to offer this product. For questions about Trip Protection, please see the Q&A link or call Access America at 1-866-840-0899. These are just a few ways Southwest Airlines has enhanced its web site to give Customers more options. !  ... View more

Southwest debuted a new set of FUN Employee-focused ads today. The new ads are an extension of the popular “Grab Your Bag: It’s On!” spots, but now feature a new set of Employees with some new messages. Wherever I go, people are always talking to me about our  “Grab Your Bag: It’s On!” campaign which launched last summer and continued into the fall with a heavy presence during football season. The new ads are a refresh of that campaign. The ads aim to highlight that Southwest is an airline that consistently provides a positive experience that keeps Customers coming back. One spot, entitled “Battle Cry,” features ten Ramp Agents “revealing” Southwest’s Bags Fly Free policy. See the FUN here. We’ll roll out seven new spots over the next few days. The ads will run during broadcasts of the college basketball championship games. One of the ads specifically focuses on the fact that Customers can only purchase Southwest Airlines fares and flights on southwest.com. One of the “stars” of the southwest.com commercial, HDQ Employee Micah Hankammer, told me about her experience on the set of the commercial shoot. Here’s what she had to say: “It was so fun to get to see and be part of what goes on behind the scenes at a commercial shoot--I felt like a movie star getting my hair and makeup done every day!  Meeting so many fun Employees from all areas of the Company was a blast and made me realize even more how lucky and proud I am to work here!” To view the new spots and behind-the-scenes video, please the video section of the blog or become a fan on Southwest’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/southwest. We are also featuring Employees in innovative jetbridge, print, and digital advertising. So be on the look for Southwest Employees in banner ads online and in the airport. Let us know what you think of the new spots! Enjoy!   ... View more

Have you visited southwest.com today? You might have noticed a whole new look! We've revamped the homepage to make it easier for Customers to find what they need. The homepage now includes a navigation tool that's consistent throughout the site. The navigation tool is meant to make booking flights, hotels, and car rentals a snap! Here are a few more of the exciting changes you will see: • The homepage image and other features can be personalized and pre-populated to the user’s home airport. Saved searches make it easier for Customers to shop for flights, cars, and hotels. • Customers can now easily plan any part of their trip directly from the homepage with new car and hotel booking widgets. • New pages have been added to highlight how Southwest Airlines is different from its competitors. • Every page of the site has updated, easy-to-use navigation and a search box to help users find exactly what they are looking for. • Drop downs are available from the global navigation to help users get to interior pages faster. • Every page now has a social media bar to help users engage with Southwest on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Nuts About Southwest.   These changes are a part of a larger effort to make southwest.com a full-service travel site.  We made some changes last year (like TravelGuide and a new Special Offers page) and you can expect to see a few more throughout 2010. Stay tuned for an online scavenger hunt! Next week, we'll have a contest to encourage fans to explore the new site and you could win roundtrip tickets! So there might be a sleek new look, but we've got the same low fares, only on southwest.com! ... View more

Hello from Park City, Utah! Southwest is the official airline of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. The city is buzzing with people from all over the world who share a passion for independent films. We're hoping filmmakers and film lovers will experience Southwest in a whole new way while they are here! As filmmakers checkin for the festival, they will receive all their festival information in an SWA eco-friendly, recyclable bag. They also get to relax and enjoy our gate area seating-- charging their phones and laptops at our charging stations. At each film screening, ticket holders will receive a “boarding pass” with a Southwest Airlines letter and number on it. They will line up for screenings just like we board our planes! We are also supporting the Variety Studio where filmmakers come to talk with the magazine about their latest project. Our wonderful Salt Lake City Employees are passing out LIFT coffee, peanuts, and pretzels. We've seen directors, actors, and producers come through. Today we're expecting to see Ben Affleck! I'm crossing my fingers he stops by. Here's a picture of our awesome Employees in the studio. It's cold and snowy here, but that's not slowing us down. The streets are still full of industry influentials excited to see the next big film! We're happy to be able to support our Customers passion points. Check back next week for a video blog from our experience here! ... View more

This morning, Southwest Airlines donated more than 150,000 blankets and more than 30,000 pillows to the Salvation Army. We delivered a large portion of those blankets and pillows to the Dallas/Fort Worth Command center. Southwest Employees were on hand to help unload and organize the supplies, which will be distributed across the U.S. Today’s donation of new blankets and pillows comes at a time when the Salvation Army, and the people it serves, could use it the most. [asset|aid=986|format=post_large_image|formatter=imagecache|title=blanket donation.JPG|align=none|height=100|width=100]  With the winter months upon us, we know individuals need these blankets and pillows, and we’re happy to be able to provide them. In addition, Southwest Employees in markets across the U.S. will drop blankets and pillows at their local Salvation Army. [asset|aid=985|format=post_large_image|formatter=imagecache|title=boxes of blankets.JPG|align=none|height=100|width=100]     ... View more

Southwest Airlines will be featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today as a part of Ellen’s 12 Days of Giveaways. Southwest Airlines enrolled everyone in  her studio audience in the Rapid Rewards program and gave them enough credits for a free roundtrip flight to any city Southwest serves! I’m thinking those folks will now be loyal Southwest Rapid Rewards Members! We are also giving a special Rapid Rewards treat to anyone who views the show and visits: www.southwest.com/ellen. We appear at the very end of the show so set your recording device to make sure you don’t miss us! Please check your local listings for exact time and channel. Check out a clip of Ellen giving away prizes here: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2009/12/the_gifts_get_bigger_as_12_day.php (hint: we're at the end!) ... View more

Hi again! If you’ve read the blog lately, you might know me from my starring role in “The Battle of the Ashley’s,” so you know I’m a Longhorn fan. Well, this past Saturday night was a nerve-wracking, nail-biting game for me. But we pulled through, and we’re headed back to the Rose Bowl to face the #1 team: University of Alabama Crimson Tide. Southwest Airlines is excited about the game as well. We’ve added extra sections (or flights) to accommodate the demand from Customers. We’re adding Flight #109 on Wednesday, Jan. 6, departing Birmingham (BHM) at 10:55 am and arriving at Los Angeles (LAX) at 1:40 pm. The return flight will be Flight #132 on Friday, Jan. 8, departing LAX at 11:35am and arriving in BHM at 5:35 pm. For the Longhorns, we’re adding Flight #113 on Jan. 6, departing Austin (AUS) at 11:40 am and arriving in LAX at 1:05 pm. The return flight will be Flight #121 on Jan. 8, departing LAX at 10:50 am and arriving in AUS at 3:45 pm. Looks like there will be a flood of burnt orange and crimson mixing at the baggage claim at LAX on Wednesday afternoon.  If you’re interested in heading to Pasadena to support your team, you can find these flights as well as other options at southwest.com. Now, if your loyalties lie with another team and you need flights to a different bowl game, don’t fret!  We’ll be adding additional itineraries to give Customers more options when traveling to cheer on their team. I wish every team the best of luck!  Well, maybe not every team…. Hook ’em! ... View more

Today, I witnessed one of my favorite events that Southwest Airlines participates in: Southwest  Employees hosted an Honor Flight celebration at the Los Angeles Airport (LAX). It was truly a special moment to be in the presence of 23 World War II Veterans on Veterans Day.  Southwest Airlines is the official airline of the Honor Flight Network--providing air transportation for WWII Veterans nationwide to visit the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C. Today’s Veterans were from the basin area of California. Southwest Airlines LAX Employees went above and beyond to assist the Veterans while at the airport. Breakfast and goodie bags were provided for each Veteran and guardian. Employees and Customers waved flags while LAX Operations Agent Dwayne Lewis sang the national anthem. The group will arrive in BWI this afternoon and will visit the Memorial later today. Los Angeles-based BB Entertainment and Zep Tepi Entertainment will be traveling with the Veterans today to film for their documentary film entitled "1200," coming in late 2010. I’m proud to work for a Company that truly cares for the men and women in the military, both past and present. Recently, Southwest Airlines was named one of G.I. Jobs Top 100 Military Friendly Employers for 2010. We have nearly 700 Employees that serve in the National Guard and Reserve. So today, we are showing our gratitude to all service men and women. Thank you for protecting the Freedoms that we enjoy each and every day. We salute you! LAX Operations Agent Dwayne Lewis sings the National Anthem  ... View more

Southwest Airlines has a long-standing history of being a good corporate neighbor. We try to “Share the Spirit” in all the 68 cities we serve; it’s something we’ve done from the very beginning. Since 1971, Southwest has built a reputation for supporting the needs of our communities, and it’s always nice to be recognized for our achievements. Southwest Airlines was recently listed on the Top 50 Companies Recognized as Leaders in Corporate Social Responsibility. The Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and Reputation Institute’s 2009 CSR Index captured the public’s perception of more than 200 companies. We were fortunate to make the list among some other great companies. Here’s what they say about us: “While the overall reputation of the American business sector has been tarnished with a broad brush, many individual companies still stand as our responsible leaders in the eyes of the public,” said Chris Pinney, director of research and policy at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship. “To build a reputation as a leader in corporate social responsibility, companies should focus on strong governance practices, positive working conditions, and a commitment to supporting the needs of communities and the environment.” Our nearly 35,000 Employees display their Servant’s Hearts daily and it shows! Way to go, Southwest! To find out more about what we’re doing at Southwest to be a good neighbor, visit www.southwest.com/cares ... View more

It’s the second week of October and college football fans know what that means! It’s time for the 104th meeting of the Red River Rivalry between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners. The two teams meet halfway at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The game is considered one of the greatest rivalries in college sports and promises to be exciting every year. Folks that live in Texas or Oklahoma know that game week is when all bets are off and the competition gets fierce. I went to the University of Texas and bleed orange. My coworker and good friend, Ashley Pettit, went to the University of Oklahoma. We both work in Communications at Southwest. We sit next to each other, eat lunch together every day, and even take vacations together. But the week of TX/OU, we start talkin’ smack. So, just to egg us on, our colleagues challenged us to a friendly competition. They came up with five categories consisting of paper football; paper, rock, scissors; arm wrestling; cheese puff stuff; and end zone dance. We took the challenge and created a pretty entertaining video in the process. They call it “The Battle of the Ashley’s.” Check it out here. Also- if you’re a fan of the Red River Rivalry, Southwest Airlines kicks off the TX-OU weekend with a one-of-a-kind pep rally to support both teams. On Thursday, Oct. 15 at 2 pm, fans from the University of Texas (UT) and the University of Oklahoma (OU) will compete to see who can pull an 83,000-pound Boeing 737 across 50 yards the fastest. Come join the fun at the Southwest Airlines Headquarters Hangar 5 in Dallas. ... View more