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Financial Derivative Instruments - Offsetting of Derivative Assets (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
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Offsetting Assets [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Net amounts of assets presented in the Balance Sheet | $ 13 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal |  | $ 145 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal |
Fuel derivatives | Prepaid expenses and other current assets |  |  |  |
Offsetting Assets [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gross amounts of recognized assets | 0 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |  | 249 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |  | (182)luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Net amounts of assets presented in the Balance Sheet | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |  | 67 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Fuel derivatives | Other Assets |  |  |  |
Offsetting Assets [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gross amounts of recognized assets | 0 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |  | 225 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |  | (100)luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Net amounts of assets presented in the Balance Sheet | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember | [1] | 125 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember | [1]
Fuel derivatives | Accrued Liabilities |  |  |  |
Offsetting Assets [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gross amounts of recognized assets | 1,258 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |  | 9 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet | (1,258)luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |  | (9)luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Net amounts of assets presented in the Balance Sheet | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember | [1] | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember | [1]
Fuel derivatives | Other Noncurrent Liabilities |  |  |  |
Offsetting Assets [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gross amounts of recognized assets | 355 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |  | 0 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet | (355)luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |  | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Net amounts of assets presented in the Balance Sheet | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember | [1] | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember | [1]
Interest rate derivatives | Other Assets |  |  |  |
Offsetting Assets [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Gross amounts of recognized assets | 13 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember |  | 20 us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember |
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember |  | 0 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember |
Net amounts of assets presented in the Balance Sheet | $ 13 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember | [1] | $ 20 luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember | [1]
[1] | The net amounts of derivative assets and liabilities are reconciled to the individual line item amounts presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheet in Note 5.

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- Definition Net fair value of financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset, elected to be offset against an obligation to return collateral. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal
Namespace Prefix: | luv_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Fair value of liability associated with financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset, elected to be offset against collateral. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | luv_DerivativeAssetFairValueGrossLiabilityOffset
Namespace Prefix: | luv_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Fair value of financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset, not subject to a master netting arrangement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 22 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36459792&loc=SL20226052-175313 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34720828&loc=SL20225862-175312 + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |