8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):             May 6, 2011

Southwest Airlines Co.

__________________________________________

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Texas	1-7259	74-1563240
_____________________	_____________	______________
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission	(I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)	File Number)	Identification No.)

P. O. Box 36611, Dallas, Texas	75235-1611
_________________________________	___________
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:   (214) 792-4000

Not Applicable

______________________________________________

Former name or former address, if changed since last report

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the

filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[  ]           Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act

(17 CFR 230.425)

[  ]           Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17

CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ]           Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the

Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ]           Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the

Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 7.01                      Regulation FD Disclosure.

On May 6, 2011, the Registrant issued a press release announcing its traffic results for April 2011.  The press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 7.01.

The information furnished in this Item 7.01 shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 9.01                      Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits:

99.1 Registrant’s April 2011 Traffic Release.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
May 6, 2011	By	/s/   Laura Wright
		Laura Wright
		Chief Financial Officer
		(Principal Financial and
		Accounting Officer)

Exhibit Index

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Registrant's April 2011 Traffic Release.

EX-99.1

Ex 99.1

CONTACT:  Investor Relations (214) 792-4415

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES REPORTS APRIL TRAFFIC

DALLAS, TEXAS – May 6, 2011 -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 7.0 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in April 2011, an 8.7 percent increase from the 6.5 billion RPMs flown in April 2010.  Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 7.5 percent to 8.8 billion from the April 2010 level of 8.2 billion.  The load factor for the month was 79.7 percent, compared to 78.8 percent for the same period last year.  For April 2011, passenger revenue per ASM is estimated to have increased in the four to five percent range compared to April 2010.

For the first four months of 2011, Southwest flew 26.2 billion RPMs, compared to 23.6 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2010, an increase of 11.0 percent.  Available seat miles increased 8.1 percent to 33.3 billion from the 2010 level of 30.8 billion.  The year-to-date load factor was 78.7 percent, compared to 76.7 percent for the same period last year.

This release, as well as past news releases on Southwest, is available online at southwest.com.

/more

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
PRELIMINARY COMPARATIVE TRAFFIC STATISTICS
	APRIL
	2011			2010			CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried		7,522,952			7,495,073			0.4	%
Enplaned passengers		9,223,678			8,911,492			3.5	%
Revenue passenger miles (000)		7,040,248			6,477,421			8.7	%
Available seat miles (000)		8,830,037			8,215,474			7.5	%
Load factor		79.7	%		78.8	%	0.9		pts.
Average length of haul		936			864			8.3	%
Trips flown		96,683			93,719			3.2	%
	YEAR-TO-DATE
		2011			2010		CHANGE
Revenue passengers carried		28,638,067			27,471,908			4.2	%
Enplaned passengers		34,822,796			32,605,956			6.8	%
Revenue passenger miles (000)		26,236,133			23,639,135			11.0	%
Available seat miles (000)		33,335,710			30,834,934			8.1	%
Load factor		78.7	%		76.7	%	2.0		pts.
Average length of haul		916			860			6.5	%
Trips flown		370,506			355,611			4.2	%

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