Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) reported sharply higher second-quarter 2026 earnings and record revenue, with executives saying the carrier’s recent commercial transformation contributed across the full quarter for the first time.
President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Jordan said the quarter showed “the earnings power of our business” and demonstrated that Southwest now has “a broader and more diversified set of revenue and commercial levers than at any point in our history.”
Southwest said adjusted operating revenue rose 20.3% on capacity growth of just 0.2%, reaching a quarterly record of $8.7 billion. Adjusted unit revenue increased 20.1% year over year, also reaching what Jordan described as an all-time quarterly record and exceeding the high end of the company’s prior guidance range.
Revenue Initiatives Drive Record Results
Jordan and Chief Commercial Officer Justin Jones attributed the revenue gains to a mix of new and expanded initiatives, including product changes, bag fees, online travel agencies, change-related revenue and strength in the core business.
Managed business revenue rose 30% year over year to a new quarterly record, surpassing the prior record set in the first quarter. Jordan said customer engagement also improved, with Rapid Rewards new member enrollments up 35% year over year and the program approaching nearly 100 million members. Tier qualification activity reached a record high, while Chase co-branded credit card acquisitions increased 28% from a year earlier.
Jones said the company is focused on building a “more productive commercial business” that balances unit revenue growth, disciplined capacity, network profitability and long-term customer engagement. He said corporate customers have shown strong adoption of the company’s new products, with growth visible across fares, load factor and share of origin-and-destination mix.
In response to analyst questions about the impact of lapping initiatives introduced in 2025, Jordan said third-quarter comparisons will face a headwind from those actions, including bag fees, which he said represent about $1 billion annually. He said that excluding the impact of those comparisons, Southwest’s third-quarter unit revenue guidance would be ahead of the second-quarter result.
Guidance Updated as Fuel Costs Remain Elevated
Southwest now expects full-year 2026 adjusted earnings per share of $3.25 to $4.25. Jordan said the updated range replaces the company’s prior expectation of at least $4 per share and reflects the forward fuel curve as of July 17, while assuming the current fare environment and demand trends remain broadly intact.
Jordan said the company faced an estimated year-to-date fuel headwind of approximately $1.33 per share but remains positioned to generate earnings broadly in line with the guidance it issued at the start of the year. Second-quarter fuel expense increased nearly $900 million year over year, and fuel averaged $3.92 per gallon during the quarter.
Chief Financial Officer Tom Doxey said Southwest generated $500 million of operating cash flow in the quarter, up more than 32% year over year, and nearly $2 billion in operating cash flow during the first half. The company ended the quarter with $5.3 billion in liquidity, above its target of approximately $4.5 billion. Its gross leverage ratio was 2.1 times, within its stated range of 1 to 2.5 times and improved from 2.4 times at the end of 2025.
For the third quarter, Southwest expects unit revenue to rise 17.5% to 19.5% year over year. The company expects CASM-X, or unit costs excluding fuel and special items, to increase 3.5% to 4% year over year on capacity that is flat to down 1%.
Cost Discipline and Fleet Actions Support Margins
Doxey said cost savings are being generated across the business, including technology, supply chain, maintenance and labor productivity. He said management has identified “hundreds of millions of dollars of incremental savings” since the start of the year, and those savings are incorporated into the full-year outlook.
Second-quarter CASM increased 3.4% year over year on near-flat capacity, below the low end of prior guidance, Jordan said. Doxey also discussed gains from aircraft sales, saying Southwest views divestment of retiring assets as a durable strength. He said the company has more than 450 NG aircraft that will be retired over many years, and that gains on sales may be “a little lumpy by quarter” but should continue over time.
Asked about capital spending and free cash flow, Doxey said operating cash flow should improve as underlying profitability improves, while the conversion to free cash flow will depend largely on the timing of aircraft deliveries. He said Southwest generally pays cash or uses unsecured or secured financing for aircraft, rather than relying on leasing structures that would reduce net capital expenditures.
Operations, Network and Product Enhancements
Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson said Southwest ranked first among large domestic carriers in completion factor during the quarter and improved its mishandled baggage performance year over year, despite higher volumes of gate-checked bags. He said trip net promoter score improved throughout the quarter and that Southwest maintained the lowest customer complaint rate among major U.S. airlines.
Watterson acknowledged that on-time performance has declined in some areas, particularly during day-to-day “small-scale events” tied to high load factors and turn times. He said the company is focused on improving the last 10 minutes of aircraft turns and has already seen some benefits in July, with additional schedule changes expected in October.
Southwest also highlighted several product and network updates. Jordan said the airline’s first Starlink-equipped aircraft entered service a few weeks before the call, beginning a new phase of in-flight connectivity. The company also expanded its airline partner network to nine carriers with the addition of Air Premia and completed the rollout of service to five previously announced new destinations with the launch of Anchorage in May.
Jones said future capacity growth will be modest and focused on Southwest’s “points of strength,” including markets where it already has leading positions. He said the airline is not prepared to provide full-year 2027 capacity guidance but will continue to emphasize capacity discipline and profitable deployment of aircraft.
Management Emphasizes Durability of Demand
Throughout the call, executives said demand and pricing remain strong. Jordan said industry recapture of higher fuel costs has been swift and pricing has remained sticky. He also said the revenue strength is not only related to fuel recovery, but reflects benefits from Southwest’s own initiatives.
Jones said the third quarter was about 65% booked at the time of the call, with yields running up 24% year over year compared with 13% for the second quarter at the same point. “There is no deceleration in the strength in the demand, no deceleration in the strength in the revenues and the fares,” he said.
Jordan said he remains optimistic about consumer demand for travel and the long-term durability of Southwest’s revenue base. He pointed to growth in managed business revenue, Rapid Rewards memberships, card acquisitions and customer engagement as evidence that the company’s changes are resonating.
Southwest also accrued more than $100 million year to date in profit sharing for employees. Jordan thanked employees and said the results show “proof in the earnings” that the company’s transformation is working.
About Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV)
Southwest Airlines Co is a U.S.-based low-cost carrier that operates a point-to-point domestic and near-international airline network. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company primarily flies Boeing 737 aircraft and offers no-frills, single-class service designed to keep fares competitive. Southwest’s operating model emphasizes high aircraft utilization, quick turnaround times and an open seating policy, allowing customers to board and select seats on a first-come, first-served basis.
Founded in 1967 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King as Air Southwest Company, Southwest began commercial service in 1971, initially connecting Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
