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): April 7, 2016

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 2.02Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On April 7, 2016, the Registrant issued a press release announcing its traffic results for March 2016. The press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.02.

The information furnished in this Item 2.02 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 March 2016 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.
April 7, 2016	By	/s/ Tammy Romo
		Tammy Romo
		Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
		(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

Exhibit Index

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Registrant's March 2016 Traffic Release.

EX-99.1

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES REPORTS MARCH TRAFFIC

DALLAS, TEXAS – April 7, 2016 – Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the "Company") today reported its March and first quarter preliminary traffic statistics.

The Company flew 10.9 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in March 2016, an increase of 6.2 percent from the 10.2 billion RPMs flown in March 2015. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 6.1 percent to 12.9 billion in March 2016, compared with March 2015 ASMs of 12.1 billion. The March 2016 load factor was a record for the month of March at 84.6 percent, compared with 84.5 percent in March 2015. The Company continues to estimate its first quarter 2016 operating revenue per ASM (RASM) will be in line with first quarter 2015.

This release, as well as past news releases about Southwest Airlines Co., is available online at Southwest.com.

/more

Southwest Airlines Co.

Preliminary Comparative Traffic Statistics

MARCH
	2016	2015	Change
Revenue passengers carried	10,944,627	10,363,811	5.6%
Enplaned passengers	13,113,439	12,526,974	4.7%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)	10,875,078	10,240,507	6.2%
Available seat miles (000s)	12,852,734	12,113,609	6.1%
Load factor	84.6%	84.5%	0.1 pts.
Average length of haul	994	988	0.6%
Trips flown	113,053	108,763	3.9%

FIRST QUARTER
	2016	2015	Change
Revenue passengers carried	28,603,479	26,442,996	8.2%
Enplaned passengers	34,628,441	32,098,958	7.9%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)	28,408,164	25,860,866	9.9%
Available seat miles (000s)	35,268,149	32,297,465	9.2%
Load factor	80.5%	80.1%	0.4 pts.
Average length of haul	993	978	1.5%
Trips flown	314,537	296,570	6.1%

Investor Contact:

Southwest Airlines Investor Relations

214-792-4415

Media Contact:

Southwest Airlines Media Relations

214-792-4847

swamedia@wnco.com

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