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Financial Derivative Instruments - Offsetting of Derivative Liabilities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Offsetting Liabilities [Line Items]
Liability derivative contracts, net	$ 488luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember		$ 622luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember
Fuel derivatives | Accrued Liabilities
Offsetting Liabilities [Line Items]
Gross amounts of recognized liabilities	1,413us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		1,432us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Gross asset amounts offset in the Balance Sheet	(1,057)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		(1,258)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Liability derivative contracts, net	356luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = luv_AccruedLiabilitiesBalanceSheetLocationMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember	[1]	174luv_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	893us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		916us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Gross asset amounts offset in the Balance Sheet	(466)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember		(355)luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Liability derivative contracts, net	427luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember	[1]	561luv_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		61us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Gross asset amounts offset in the Balance Sheet	0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember		0luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Liability derivative contracts, net	$ 61luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueAmountOffsetAgainstCollateralTotal / us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember	[1]	$ 61luv_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 unaudited Condensed 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

Name:	luv_DerivativeLiabilityFairValueGrossAssetOffset
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

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

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- Details

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- Details

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X

- Details

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