Southwest Airlines
Low-cost American airline's booking and travel site.
Southwest Airlines at a glance
Southwest Airlines is a travel website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #63 in the country. It was founded in 1967 by Herb Kelleher, Rollin King and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, United States. Today Southwest Airlines is owned by Southwest Airlines Co.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 130 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through airfare sales, ancillary fees, rapid rewards program. Its closest rivals include delta.com, united.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 122 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 126 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 130 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 138 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct43%
- Organic search32%
- Paid search16%
- Metasearch referral6%
- Social3%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 25-3431%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5420%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 39 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| southwest airlines | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| cheap flights | Top 10 | High | — |
| hotel booking | Top 10 | High | — |
| train tickets | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 71% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading travel apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- southwest.com
- Sector
- Travel
- Owner
- Southwest Airlines Co.
- Owner type
- Public company
- Founders
- Herb Kelleher, Rollin King
- Founded
- 1967
- Headquarters
- Dallas, Texas, United States
- Employees
- 75,000+
- Ownership
- Southwest Airlines Co. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $27B annual revenue
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $27B annual revenue
- Ownership
- Public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Southwest Airlines operates a travel booking platform focused on United States. Low-cost American airline's booking and travel site. Revenue comes mainly from airfare sales, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Airfare sales
- Ancillary fees
- Rapid Rewards program
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #63 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading travel site in United States
- Global rank
- 320
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| delta.com | ≈ 78 million / month | #64 class competitor | — |
| united.com | ≈ 58.5 million / month | #65 class competitor | — |
What is Southwest Airlines?
Southwest Airlines (southwest.com) is a travel booking platform serving users in United States. Low-cost American airline's booking and travel site. It ranks #63 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the travel category.
Who owns Southwest Airlines?
The site is operated by Southwest Airlines Co., founded by Herb Kelleher, Rollin King. The company was established in 1967 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, United States. It employs around 75,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Southwest Airlines at roughly 130 million visits per month, about 4.3 million per day. Around 71% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 7.8 pages per visit with an average session of 7 min.
How Southwest Airlines makes money
Revenue comes primarily from airfare sales, alongside ancillary fees, rapid rewards program.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include delta.com, united.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1967
Southwest Airlines is founded in Dallas, Texas, United States.
- Growth phase
Expands its travel offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #63 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad inventory of routes, hotels or tickets
- Transparent price comparison across dates
- Local payment and installment support
- Mobile check-in and booking management
Cons
- Prices fluctuate quickly during peak seasons
- Change and cancellation rules are restrictive
- Add-on fees appear late in the funnel
- Support pressure during disruptions
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Southwest Airlines?
Southwest Airlines is operated by Southwest Airlines Co.. Public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Southwest Airlines headquartered?
Southwest Airlines is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, United States.
When was Southwest Airlines founded?
Southwest Airlines was founded in 1967 by Herb Kelleher, Rollin King.
How many employees does Southwest Airlines have?
Southwest Airlines employs approximately 75,000+ people.
What is Southwest Airlines's revenue?
Southwest Airlines's revenue: ≈ $27B annual revenue.
Who are Southwest Airlines's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include delta.com, united.com.
How does Southwest Airlines make money?
Mainly airfare sales, ancillary fees, rapid rewards program.
Is Southwest Airlines publicly traded?
Southwest Airlines's ownership: Public company.
How many visitors does Southwest Airlines get?
Third-party estimates place Southwest Airlines at roughly 130 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 71% mobile traffic.
Is Southwest Airlines safe?
Southwest Airlines is an established travel site founded in 1967 and ranked #63 in United States; use the official domain southwest.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementssouthwest.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos