Southwest Airlines Employee Salaries 2026: Average Pay & Compensation
Southwest Airlines employee salaries are estimated at $72,000 average pay in 2025-2026, with $62,000 median pay and $85,000 average total compensation. Compare Southwest Airlines employee salaries by role, level, bonus, equity, benefits, and Dallas, TX location context before evaluating an offer.
Average Salary
$72,000
$6,000/mo
Total Compensation
$85,000
base + bonus + equity
Employees
66K
large company
Rating
4
★★★★☆
Direct answer
Southwest Airlines employee salaries 2025-2026: average pay and compensation
The average salary for Southwest Airlines employees is estimated at $72,000 in 2025-2026, with median pay of $62,000 and average total compensation of $85,000 when bonus, equity, and incentive pay are included. Entry-level roles start around $35,000, senior roles average $120,000, and the highest listed role benchmark is Software Engineer at $72,000.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Page reviewed May 26, 2026 · Salary data last updated May 19, 2026. Source basis: modeled Salario role-level estimates, public filings, postings, or salary trackers where cited on this page, and BLS wage baselines for context; this is a planning estimate, not a guaranteed offer or internal HR pay band.
Search intent match
Southwest Airlines average employee salary, compensation and role pay
These are the four compensation questions people usually compare before applying to Southwest Airlines: average employee salary, average compensation per employee, salary by role, and salary range by level.
| Search question | 2026 answer | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines average employee salary 2026 | $72,000 average base salary | Compare against the Transportation peer average of $80,920. |
| Southwest Airlines average compensation per employee | $85,000 average total compensation | Separate base salary from bonus and equity before comparing offers. |
| Southwest Airlines employee salaries by role | Software Engineer: $72,000 | Product Manager: $68,400 | Operations Manager: $58,320 | Use role-specific benchmarks instead of negotiating from the company average alone. |
| Southwest Airlines salary range 2025-2026 | $35,000 to $120,000 across listed entry-to-senior levels | Adjust for level, team, location, bonus cycle, and Dallas, TX cost context. |
Company-specific pay benchmark
Southwest Airlines Employee Salaries by Role: 2025-2026 Snapshot
Southwest Airlines employee salaries average $72,000 base pay and $85,000 average total compensation in this 2025-2026 benchmark. Within Transportation, that puts Southwest Airlines below the peer salary average of $80,920 by -11%. Use this snapshot to compare base salary, bonus potential, senior-level upside, and role-specific pay before accepting or negotiating an offer.
Vs. Transportation peers
-11%
peer avg $80,920
Total comp position
-11%
peer avg $95,613
Role pay spread
$17,280
Data Analyst to Software Engineer
Senior premium
+243%
senior vs entry-level salary
| Negotiation area | Southwest Airlines benchmark | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $72,000 average, $62,000 median | Compare the offer against the Transportation peer average and your exact role level. |
| Bonus target | 10% target, about $7,200 on average salary | Ask whether the target is guaranteed, discretionary, prorated, or tied to company performance. |
| Equity or incentives | 15% of estimated total comp is above base salary | Check vesting schedule, refresh grants, strike price or RSU value, and liquidity timing. |
| Location economics | Dallas, TX headquarters, $6,000 monthly average pay | Adjust for state taxes, local taxes, rent, commute cost, hybrid policy, and relocation support. |
Southwest Airlines Salary by Level
Salary progression from entry-level to director positions at Southwest Airlines.
Entry-level employees at Southwest Airlines earn around $35,000, while directors can earn $272,000 or more.
Southwest Airlines Average Pay by Role
| Role | Base Salary | Est. Total Comp |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | $72,000 | $79,200 |
| Product Manager | $68,400 | $75,240 |
| Operations Manager | $58,320 | $64,152 |
| Marketing Manager | $56,880 | $62,568 |
| Data Analyst | $54,720 | $60,192 |
Total compensation estimates include base salary and an average 10% bonus. Stock options/equity are offered but vary significantly by role and level.
Southwest Airlines Benefits & Perks
Southwest Airlines Salary Calculator
Select a role and experience level to estimate your salary at Southwest Airlines.
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
Estimated Salary at Southwest Airlines
$76,000
$6,333/month · $36.54/hr
Est. total comp with 10% bonus: $83,600
About Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines is a transportation company headquartered in Dallas, TX, founded in 1967. With approximately 66,000 employees, it is a major employer in the transportation sector.
Headquarters
Dallas, TX
Founded
1967
Industry
Transportation
Company Size
large
Employees
66,000
Median Salary
$62,000
Hourly Rate
$34.62/hr
Monthly Pay
$6,000
Southwest Airlines Estimated Workplace Ratings
Directional estimates from Salario's company dataset, not scores published by Glassdoor or another review site. Compensation and Culture are derived from the overall and work-life balance estimates. Check current employee reviews before relying on them.
4
★★★★☆
Overall Rating
Similar Transportation Companies
United Parcel Service
FedEx
UPS
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
United Airlines
Methodology & Sources for Southwest Airlines Salary Data
How we estimate Southwest Airlines compensation data: The salary figures on this page are modeled planning estimates stored in Salario's static company dataset. They are not a live feed and are not aggregated from individual employee submissions to Salario. Where this page lists specific sources such as SEC filings, official job postings, or public salary trackers, those sources are named with the date they were checked. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics are linked as occupation-level baseline context, not as Southwest Airlines-specific data.
- Base salary benchmarks are modeled estimates by role and level. Southwest Airlines (founded 1967, 66K employees, headquartered in Dallas, TX) is in the Transportation sector.
- Total compensation includes base salary, bonus, and where applicable, equity or other long-term incentives. At Southwest Airlines, bonuses vary by role, level, location, performance cycle, and business division.
- Level mapping normalizes role names across companies (Entry/Junior/Mid/Senior/Lead/Principal/Director) for cross-company comparison.
- Cost-of-living context is not built into these figures; use the cost of living calculator to compare Southwest Airlines's Dallas, TX pay with other markets.
- Industry comparison on this page compares Southwest Airlines with other Transportation companies in the same Salario dataset; BLS national occupation wages are linked below for independent context.
Authoritative compensation data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national salary baselines for Transportation
- SEC EDGAR, Company Filings, public company executive compensation in DEF 14A proxies
- BLS Industries at a Glance, Transportation, sector employment, wages, productivity
- BLS Employment Cost Index, quarterly compensation trend data
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level wage data by industry
- DOL Wage and Hour Division, federal wage compliance and minimum wage
Disclaimer: Southwest Airlines compensation figures are modeled estimates that reflect general patterns, not guaranteed offers. Actual salaries vary based on level, location, negotiation, performance, and equity vesting. For personalized career advice, consult HR professionals or executive coaches. For job offers, always negotiate based on multiple data points and your unique value.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Salary data last updated May 19, 2026 · Page reviewed May 26, 2026 · BLS links point to the latest release on bls.gov
Southwest Airlines Salary FAQ
What is the average salary at Southwest Airlines in 2026?
Salario estimates the average salary at Southwest Airlines at $72,000 per year in 2026. Modeled entry-level pay is around $35,000, and the senior professional benchmark is $120,000. Estimated total compensation including bonuses and equity is $85,000. These are planning estimates, not official Southwest Airlines pay bands.
What benefits does Southwest Airlines offer?
Southwest Airlines offers a comprehensive benefits package including Health/dental/vision, 401k match, Profit sharing, and 2 more benefits. The company also offers stock options or equity compensation. Salario models the average bonus at approximately 10% of base salary. Confirm current benefits and bonus eligibility in the written offer.
What are the highest paying roles at Southwest Airlines?
The highest paying roles at Southwest Airlines include Software Engineer ($72,000), Product Manager ($68,400), Operations Manager ($58,320). Executive-level positions can earn up to $340,000 or more annually.
How does Southwest Airlines compare to other Transportation companies?
Southwest Airlines has an estimated 4/5.0 workplace rating and $72,000 estimated average salary in Salario's company dataset. Compared to peers like United Parcel Service and FedEx, it offers competitive compensation in the Transportation sector.
Is Southwest Airlines a good company to work for?
Southwest Airlines has an estimated 4/5.0 overall workplace rating and 3.5/5.0 work-life balance score in Salario's company dataset. These are directional editorial estimates, not scores published by a specific employee-review site, so check current employee reviews before deciding. The estimate sits in the upper part of the scale. The company is headquartered in Dallas, TX and was founded in 1967, employing 66K people worldwide.
What is the total compensation at Southwest Airlines?
Salario estimates total compensation at Southwest Airlines at $85,000 per year, which includes base salary ($72,000), bonuses (approximately 10% of base), and equity or long-term incentive grants. Senior and executive roles can see significantly higher total compensation packages.
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