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Financial Derivative Instruments - Offsetting of Derivative Liabilities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Offsetting Liabilities [Line Items]
Net amounts of liabilities presented in the Balance Sheet	$ 622luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember
Fuel derivatives | Prepaid expenses and other current assets
Offsetting Liabilities [Line Items]
Gross amounts of recognized liabilities	0us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		182us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet	0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		(182)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Net amounts of liabilities presented in the Balance Sheet	0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_OtherAssetsCurrentMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Fuel derivatives | Other Assets
Offsetting Liabilities [Line Items]
Gross amounts of recognized liabilities	0us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		100us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet	0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		(100)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Net amounts of liabilities presented in the Balance Sheet	0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember	[1]	0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember	[1]
Fuel derivatives | Accrued Liabilities
Offsetting Liabilities [Line Items]
Gross amounts of recognized liabilities	1,432us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		21us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet	(1,258)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		(9)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Net amounts of liabilities presented in the Balance Sheet	174luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember	[1]	12luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember	[1]
Fuel derivatives | Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Offsetting Liabilities [Line Items]
Gross amounts of recognized liabilities	916us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		0us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet	(355)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Net amounts of liabilities presented in the Balance Sheet	561luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember	[1]	0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember	[1]
Interest rate derivatives | Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Offsetting Liabilities [Line Items]
Gross amounts of recognized liabilities	61us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember		77us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Gross amounts offset in the Balance Sheet	0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember		(32)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Net amounts of liabilities presented in the Balance Sheet	$ 61luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember	[1]	$ 45luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / 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.

X

- Definition

Net fair value of financial liability or 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 a right to receive collateral.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	luv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Fair value of asset associated with financial liability or 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

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Namespace Prefix:	luv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Fair value of financial liability or 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

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- Details

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Balance Type:	na
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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