Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines in Fortune Rankings

Lawyer-turned-entrepreneur Herb Kelleher and Texas businessman Rollin King launched Air Southwest in 1967, later renaming it Southwest Airlines. The low-cost carrier now operates a fleet of more than 800 planes, exclusively Boeing 737s, and serves destinations in 42 U.S. states. Its international routes focus on nearby countries such as Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rica, though the airline has applied for approval to expand into Europe. In 2026, Southwest plans to end its long-standing open-seating policy—one of several changes proposed in response to pressure from activist investor Elliott Investment Management.

Justin Sullivan—Getty Images

Updated:6/3/26
Country/Territory:U.S.
Headquarters:Dallas
Industry:Airlines
CEO:Robert E. Jordan
Website:https://www.southwest.com

Ticker:LUV
Company type:Public
Revenues ($M):$28,063
Profits ($M):$441
Market value ($M):$18,450
Number of employees:72,790

Market value as of March 31, 2026.

Sector:Transportation
Culture rank:281
Process rank:278
Product rank:216

Sector:Transport
Industry:Airlines
Current All-Star Rank:39
Previous All-Star Rank:23
Industry Rank:7
Previous Industry Rank:3
Overall Score:4.89
Innovation:12

People Management:6
Use of Corporate Assets:5
Social Responsibility:7
Quality of Management:11
Financial Soundness:3
Long-Term Investment Value:5
Quality of Products/Services:13
Global Competitiveness:10

$ millions% change
Revenues ($M):$28,0632.1%
Profits ($M):$441-5.2%
Assets ($M):$29,061-
Total Stockholder Equity ($M):$7,981-

Profit as % of Revenues:1.6%
Profits as % of Assets:1.5%
Profits as % of Stockholder Equity:5.5%

Earnings Per Share ($):0.80
EPS % Change (from prior fiscal year):4%
EPS % Change (5 year annual rate):-
EPS % Change (10 year annual rate):-13.2%

Total Return to Investors (last year):25.7%
Total Return to Investors (5 year, annualized):-1.1%
Total Return to Investors (10 year, annualized):0.7%