OREANDA-NEWS. Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 9.2 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in December 2014, a 2.8 percent increase from the 9.0 billion RPMs flown in December 2013. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 2.9 percent to 11.2 billion from the December 2013 level of 10.8 billion. The December 2014 load factor was 82.7 percent compared with 82.8 percent in December 2013. For December 2014, passenger revenue per ASM (PRASM) is estimated to have decreased in the four to five percent range, as compared with December 2013. 

For the fourth quarter of 2014, the Company flew 26.8 billion RPMs, compared with 25.7 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2013, an increase of 4.3 percent. Fourth quarter 2014 ASMs increased 2.4 percent to 32.6 billion from fourth quarter 2013 ASMs of 31.9 billion. The fourth quarter 2014 load factor was 82.0 percent, compared with 80.4 percent for the same period in 2013. For fourth quarter 2014, PRASM is estimated to have increased in the one to two percent range, as compared with fourth quarter 2013.

For the full year of 2014, the Company flew 108.0 billion RPMs, compared with 104.3 billion RPMs flown in full year 2013, an increase of 3.5 percent. Full year 2014 ASMs increased 0.5 percent to 131.0 billion from 130.3 billion for full year 2013. The full year 2014 load factor was 82.5 percent, compared with 80.1 percent for full year 2013.

Southwest Airlines Co.

Preliminary Comparative Traffic Statistics



DECEMBER

2014

2013

Change

Revenue passengers carried

9,594,370

9,307,789

3.1%

Enplaned passengers

11,666,424

11,487,623

1.6%

Revenue passenger miles (000s)

9,224,382

8,975,588

2.8%

Available seat miles (000s)

11,151,720

10,839,912

2.9%

Load factor

82.7 %

82.8 %

(0.1) pts.

Average length of haul

961

964

(0.3)%

Trips flown

104,550

107,157

(2.4)%










FOURTH QUARTER

2014

2013

Change

Revenue passengers carried

27,894,107

26,895,809

3.7%

Enplaned passengers

34,065,219

33,118,822

2.9%

Revenue passenger miles (000s)

26,767,655

25,652,363

4.3%

Available seat miles (000s)

32,647,338

31,886,318

2.4%

Load factor

82.0 %

80.4 %

1.6 pts.

Average length of haul

960

954

0.6%

Trips flown

309,271

317,688

(2.6)%










TOTAL YEAR

2014

2013

Change

Revenue passengers carried

110,496,912

108,075,976

2.2%

Enplaned passengers

135,767,188

133,155,030

2.0%

Revenue passenger miles (000s)

108,035,133

104,348,216

3.5%

Available seat miles (000s)

131,003,957

130,344,072

0.5%

Load factor

82.5 %

80.1 %

2.4 pts.

Average length of haul

978

966

1.2%

Trips flown

1,255,502

1,312,785

(4.4)%