An awe5ome adventure.

Time flies when you’re democratizing the skies. Since 1971, Southwest’s purpose has been to connect People to what’s important in their lives and give them the freedom to fly through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. Join us as we look back on 50 years of upholding that purpose, and visit this page often to find out how you can be a part of our year-long celebration.

Latest updates:

Shop the Boxercraft Fuzzy Fleece Pullover for $45 on the SouthWest store

Introducing The Colleen C. Barrett Institute

Visit the newly established CCB Institute for Cultural Excellence & Customer Service to engage with resources designed to help you and your organization make a remarkable impact.

Learn more

Celebrate Southwest’s first 50 years with your own copy of this visually engaging coffee-table book showcasing a collection of 50 unique objects, outfits, and artifacts, short stories from the Company’s inspiring history, and a special foreword by Chairman & CEO Gary Kelly.

50 Years. One Heart.

Grab your copy today of the special history book showcasing 50 iconic Southwest objects, short stories from the Company’s inspiring past, and a foreword by Gary Kelly.

Shop now

Excuse me, is this seat open?

We’ve created a podcast, “Is This Seat Open?” to share fascinating stories from our 50 years of flying, in partnership with LA Times Studios.

Listen now

Moments in time. Experience the full journey

1980

The Ultimate Report Card: The Southwest Effect

Blair, owner of a tour company in Bristol, Connecticut, dialed his print shop in a hurry. They were about to print 350 brochures announcing tours to Nashville for the year 2000, with flights originating in Providence, Rhode Island—nearly two hours away by bus. But Southwest Airlines had just announced plans to open routes from Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, 30 minutes from Bristol.

Something Old, Something New: The Southwest Repurpose with Purpose Program

The giant heaps of gently wrinkled leather could easily have been labeled “trash” and sent on their way.

COVID Response: Flying Through a Pandemic

As 2020 dawned, Southwest was poised for another banner year. But in less than a month, everything changed. January brought reports of a dangerous new virus spreading rapidly around the globe, one that would dramatically impact life as we know it. In particular, it brought the travel and tourism industry to a near-standstill, affecting every related business, from hotels to entertainment events to restaurants, and, of course, airlines.

Make sure to check out all of Southwest’s iconic moments in the Our Stories section.

Dive deeper into some of the incredible stories
that lead up to our 50th year!

The Heart of our People.

Our Heart is to take care of People because we are more than an airline, we’re your neighbor.

Since 2008 we’ve contributed…

1.5 million hours of volunteer work by our Employees.

Over $222 million dollars toward local communities.

Nearly 480 thousand flights for those in need.

In honor of our 50th year, we’re inviting our Customers, communities, partners, and friends to join us in the call to put Hearts in Action to inspire a kinder, more compassionate world. Stay tuned for how you can join, and click below to learn more about our current Community Programs.

Learn about our community efforts

Source: Southwest Airlines One Report.