FAQs

Airline Glossary

Aircraft Utilization – The hours and minutes in a day an aircraft is used.

ASM (Available Seat Mile) – One seat (empty or full) flown one mile. Often referred to as the airlines industry’s measure of capacity.

Average Length of Haul – The average distance in miles a paying passenger is flown.

Average Passenger Fare – The average amount of passenger revenue per Revenue Passenger Carried.

Average Stage Length – The average distance in miles the aircraft is flown

CASM (Operating Expenses (Cost) per Available Seat Mile) – The average cost of flying an aircraft seat (empty or full) one mile. Often referred to as a “unit cost” measurement. Calculated as Total Operating Expenses/Total Available Seat Miles.

DOT (Department of Transportation) – Established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, the DOT consists of the Office of the Secretary and eleven individual operating administrations. Leadership of the DOT is provided by the Secretary of Transportation, who is the principal adviser to the President in all matters relating to federal transportation programs.

Enplaned Passenger – One passenger, originating or connecting, boarded on an aircraft.

Load Factor – The percentage of a plane filled with paying passengers. Calculated as Revenue Passenger Miles/Available Seat Miles.

Passenger Yield (Revenue Yield per Revenue Passenger Mile) – The average amount of revenue received per paying passenger flown one mile. Calculated as Total Operating Revenues/Revenue Passenger Miles.

PRASM (Passenger Revenue per Available Seat Mile) – Total Operating Revenue per seat (empty or full) flown one mile. Often referred to as a “unit revenue” measurement. Calculated as Passenger Operating Revenues/Available Seat Miles.

RASM (Revenue per Available Seat Mile) – Total Operating Revenue per seat (empty or full) flown one mile. Often referred to as a “unit revenue” measurement. Calculated as Total Operating Revenues/Available Seat Miles.

Revenue Passengers Carried – The number of Origination and Destination (O&D) paying passengers. (O&D – a measure of the point of origination of a passenger to the final destination).

RPM (Revenue Passenger Mile) – One paying passenger flown one mile. Often referred to as the airline industry’s measure of “traffic”.

Trips Flown – Number of one-way nonstop flights by all aircraft.

Investor Toolkit

2012 Southwest Airlines One Report^TM

2012 Annual Report**

2013 Proxy Statement

Latest Quarterly Results

Latest 10Q

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* To illustrate our steadfast focus on a triple bottom line-our Performance, our People, and our Planet-we have highlighted these three elements of sustainability in our 2012 Southwest Airlines One Report.
** 2012 Annual Report to Shareholders pursuant to Rule 14a-3 of the Exchange Act.

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