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Fair Value Measurement - Fair Value Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis with Unobservable Inputs (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning Balance | $ (1,059)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue |
Total gains or (losses) (realized or unrealized) |  |
Included in earnings | 94 us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisGainLossIncludedInEarnings |
Included in other comprehensive income | (79)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisGainLossIncludedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss |
Purchases | 62 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetPurchases |
Sales | (48)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSales |
March 31, 2015 | (1,218)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue |
The amount of total losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets still held at March 31, 2015 | (93)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInEarnings1 |
Fuel derivatives |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning Balance | (1,091)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Total gains or (losses) (realized or unrealized) |  |
Included in earnings | 93 us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisGainLossIncludedInEarnings / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Included in other comprehensive income | (79)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisGainLossIncludedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Purchases | 62 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetPurchases / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember | [1]
Sales | (44)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSales / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember | [1]
March 31, 2015 | (1,245)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
The amount of total losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets still held at March 31, 2015 | (93)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInEarnings1 / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember |
Auction rate securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning Balance | 27 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember |
Total gains or (losses) (realized or unrealized) |  |
Included in earnings | 0 us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisGainLossIncludedInEarnings / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember |
Purchases | 0 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetPurchases / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember |
Sales | 0 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSales / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember |
March 31, 2015 | 27 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember | [2]
The amount of total losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets still held at March 31, 2015 | 0 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInEarnings1 / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember |
Other securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |
Beginning Balance | 5 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember |
Total gains or (losses) (realized or unrealized) |  |
Included in earnings | 1 us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisGainLossIncludedInEarnings / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember |
Included in other comprehensive income | 0 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisGainLossIncludedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember |
Purchases | 0 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetPurchases / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember |
Sales | (4)us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSales / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember |
The amount of total losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets still held at March 31, 2015 | $ 0 us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInEarnings1 / luv_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationAxis = us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember |
[1] | The purchase and sale of fuel derivatives are recorded gross based on the structure of the derivative instrument and whether a contract with multiple derivatives is purchased as a single instrument or separate instruments.
[2] | Included in Other assets in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.

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- Definition This item represents the amount of the total realized and unrealized gains or losses for the period which are included in the statement of income (or changes in net assets); the fair value of which assets and liabilities was or is measured on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) recognized in the income statement for financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Amount of purchases of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Amount of sale of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive income, arising from assets, liabilities and financial instruments classified in shareholders' equity measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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