Name:	luv_CashCollateralPercentOfFairValueFuelDerivativesContracts
Namespace Prefix:	luv_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Interest Rate Swap Contract Length

No definition available.

Name:	luv_InterestRateSwapContractLength
Namespace Prefix:	luv_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Interest Rate Swap Derivative, Aircraft Leases

No definition available.

Name:	luv_InterestRateSwapDerivativeAircraftLeases
Namespace Prefix:	luv_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Represents the percentage of cash collateral that can be provided with a letter of credit.

No definition available.

Name:	luv_LetterofCreditPercentofCollateral
Namespace Prefix:	luv_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Maximum sum of derivatives of a counterparty to be included in Other and no risk of the Company posting collateral.

No definition available.

Name:	luv_MaximumSumOfDerivativesOfCounterpartyToBeIncludedInOther
Namespace Prefix:	luv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of actual consumption hedged

No definition available.

Name:	luv_Percentageofactualconsumptionhedged
Namespace Prefix:	luv_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The premium (cost) of a hedge, expensed during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeCostOfHedge
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The percentage of expected requirements covered by the aggregate notional amount of derivative contracts expressed in nonmonetary units. For example, the number of barrels specified in a fuel oil forward purchase contract as a percentage of expected need.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmountPercentOfRequiredNeedCoverage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The estimated net amount of unrealized gains or losses on price risk cash flow hedges as of the balance sheet date expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next twelve months.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=112277219&loc=d3e80748-113994