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): October 11, 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 October 11, 2016, the Registrant issued a press release announcing its traffic results for September 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 September 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.
October 11, 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 September 2016 Traffic Release.

EX-99.1

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES REPORTS SEPTEMBER TRAFFIC

DALLAS, TEXAS – October 11, 2016 – Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the "Company") today reported its September, third quarter, and year-to-date preliminary traffic statistics.

The Company flew 9.9 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in September 2016, an increase of 7.9 percent from the 9.2 billion RPMs flown in September 2015. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 6.0 percent to 11.8 billion in September 2016, compared with September 2015 ASMs of 11.1 billion. The September 2016 load factor was a record for the month of September at 84.2 percent, compared with 82.7 percent in September 2015. The Company continues to estimate its third quarter2016 operating revenue per ASM (RASM) will decline in the 3.5 to 4.5 percent range, as compared with third quarter2015*, with approximately 0.5 point of the decline resulting from the Company's July 2016 technology outage.

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

Investor Contact:

Southwest Airlines Investor Relations

214-792-4415

Media Contact:

Southwest Airlines Media Relations

214-792-4847

swamedia@wnco.com

/more

Southwest Airlines Co.

Preliminary Comparative Traffic Statistics

SEPTEMBER
	2016	2015	Change
Revenue passengers carried	10,148,682	9,421,347	7.7%
Enplaned passengers	12,302,964	11,536,417	6.6%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)	9,938,610	9,206,955	7.9%
Available seat miles (000s)	11,797,272	11,133,628	6.0%
Load factor	84.2%	82.7%	1.5 pts.
Average length of haul	979	977	0.2%
Trips flown	105,535	101,467	4.0%

THIRD QUARTER
	2016	2015	Change
Revenue passengers carried	31,768,550	30,559,019	4.0%
Enplaned passengers	38,852,737	37,765,903	2.9%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)	32,315,952	31,052,660	4.1%
Available seat miles (000s)	37,881,510	36,360,340	4.2%
Load factor	85.3%	85.4%	(0.1) pts.
Average length of haul	1,017	1,016	0.1%
Trips flown	332,420	325,301	2.2%

YEAR-TO-DATE
	2016	2015	Change
Revenue passengers carried	92,712,998	87,802,757	5.6%
Enplaned passengers	112,960,419	107,535,145	5.0%
Revenue passenger miles (000s)	93,431,810	87,771,907	6.4%
Available seat miles (000s)	111,374,942	105,133,835	5.9%
Load factor	83.9%	83.5%	0.4 pts.
Average length of haul	1,008	1,000	0.8%
Trips flown	981,409	948,180	3.5%

*Operating revenues used in the calculation of third quarter 2015 RASM exclude a $172 million one-time non-cash special revenue adjustment as shown in the following reconciliation. Additional information regarding the special revenue adjustment is available in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.
	Three months ended
(in millions)	September 30, 2015
Operating Revenues, as reported	$	5,318
Deduct: Special revenue adjustment	(172		)
Operating Revenues, Non-GAAP	$	5,146

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