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Income Taxes (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
DEFERRED TAX LIABILITIES:      
Accelerated depreciation $ 4,277us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment $ 4,069us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment  
Fuel derivative instruments 0us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDerivatives 36us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDerivatives  
Other 51us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther 84us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther  
Total deferred tax liabilities 4,328us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities 4,189us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities  
DEFERRED TAX ASSETS:      
Fuel derivative instruments 521us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDerivativeInstruments 8us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDerivativeInstruments  
Deferred gains from sale and leaseback of aircraft 20us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredGainOnSaleLeasebackTransaction 24us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredGainOnSaleLeasebackTransaction  
Capital and operating leases 125luv_DeferredTaxAssetsCapitalAndOperatingLeases 163luv_DeferredTaxAssetsCapitalAndOperatingLeases  
Deferred tax assets construction obligation 209luv_DeferredTaxAssetsConstructionObligation 168luv_DeferredTaxAssetsConstructionObligation  
Accrued engine maintenance 83luv_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseEngineMaintenance 90luv_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseEngineMaintenance  
Accrued employee benefits 334us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsEmployeeBenefits 307us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsEmployeeBenefits  
State taxes 65us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal 74us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal  
Business partner income 90us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsFrequentFlierLiability 457us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsFrequentFlierLiability  
Net operating losses and credit carryforwards 3luv_DeferredTaxAssetsNetOperatingLossesAndCreditCarrybacks 14luv_DeferredTaxAssetsNetOperatingLossesAndCreditCarrybacks  
Other 96us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther 118us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther  
Total deferred tax assets 1,546us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross 1,423us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross  
Net deferred tax liability 2,782us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet 2,766us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet  
CURRENT:      
Federal 203us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit 355us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit (45)us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit
State 29us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit 44us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit 12us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit
Total current 232us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 399us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (33)us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
DEFERRED:      
Federal 421us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 62us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 287us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
State 27us-gaap_DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (6)us-gaap_DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 10us-gaap_DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Total deferred 448us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 56us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 297us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Total 680us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 455us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 264us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations, Income Tax Reconciliation [Abstract]      
Tax at statutory U.S. tax rates 636us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate 423us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate 240us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Nondeductible items 9us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpense 10us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpense 10us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpense
State income taxes, net of federal benefit 37us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 25us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 14us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes
Other, net (2)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherReconcilingItems (3)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherReconcilingItems 0us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherReconcilingItems
Unrecognized Tax Benefits $ 5us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits