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REVENUE
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]  
REVENUE REVENUE
Passenger Revenues
Revenue is categorized by revenue source as the Company believes it best depicts the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flow. The following table provides the components of Passenger revenue recognized within the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020:
 Three months ended September 30,Nine months ended September 30,
(in millions)2021202020212020
Passenger non-loyalty$3,443 $1,183 $7,672 $4,966 
Passenger loyalty - air transportation621 205 1,448 747 
Passenger ancillary sold separately163 66 388 290 
Total passenger revenues$4,227 $1,454 $9,508 $6,003 


As of September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, the components of Air traffic liability and Air traffic liability - noncurrent, including contract liabilities based on tickets sold, unused funds available to the Customer, and loyalty points available for redemption, net of expected breakage, within the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet were as follows:
 Balance as of
(in millions)September 30, 2021December 31, 2020
Air traffic liability - passenger travel and ancillary passenger services$3,464 $2,686 
Air traffic liability - loyalty program4,772 4,447 
Total Air traffic liability$8,236 $7,133 

The balance in Air traffic liability - passenger travel and ancillary passenger services also includes unused funds that are available for use by Customers and are not currently associated with a ticket, but represent funds effectively refunded and made available for use to purchase a ticket for a flight that occurs prior to their expiration. These funds are typically created as a result of a prior ticket cancellation or exchange. Rollforwards of the Company's Air traffic liability - loyalty program for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 were as follows (in millions):

Three months ended September 30,Nine months ended September 30,
2021202020212020
Air traffic liability - loyalty program - beginning balance$4,719 $3,856 $4,447 $3,385 
Amounts deferred associated with points awarded688 447 1,810 1,488 
Revenue recognized from points redeemed - Passenger(621)(205)(1,448)(747)
Revenue recognized from points redeemed - Other(14)(16)(37)(44)
Unused funds converted to loyalty points— 105 — 105 
Air traffic liability - loyalty program - ending balance$4,772 $4,187 $4,772 $4,187 

Air traffic liability includes consideration received for ticket and loyalty related performance obligations which have not been satisfied as of a given date. Rollforwards of the amounts included in Air traffic liability as of September 30, 2021 and 2020 were as follows (in millions):
 Air traffic liability
Balance at December 31, 2020$7,133 
Current period sales (passenger travel, ancillary services, flight loyalty, and partner loyalty)10,648 
Revenue from amounts included in contract liability opening balances(2,346)
Revenue from current period sales(7,199)
Balance at September 30, 2021$8,236 

 Air traffic liability
Balance at December 31, 2019$5,510 
Current period sales (passenger travel, ancillary services, flight loyalty, and partner loyalty)7,631 
Revenue from amounts included in contract liability opening balances(2,126)
Revenue from current period sales(3,921)
Balance at September 30, 2020$7,094 

During 2020 and in parts of 2021, the Company has experienced a significantly higher number of Customer-driven flight cancellations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including those associated with the Delta variant of the virus. See Note 2 for further information. As a result, the amount of Customer travel funds held in Air traffic liability that are estimated to be redeemed for future travel as of September 30, 2021, remains much higher than historical levels. The amount of such Customer funds represents approximately 17 percent and 28 percent of the total Air traffic liability balance at September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively, compared to approximately two percent of the Air traffic liability balance as of December 31, 2019. In order to provide additional flexibility to Customers who hold these funds, the Company significantly relaxed its previous policies with regards to the time period within which these funds can be redeemed, which is typically twelve months from the original date of purchase. For all Customer travel funds created or that would have otherwise expired between March 1 and September 7, 2020 associated with flight cancellations, the Company extended the expiration date to September 7, 2022. At September 30, 2021, $1.4 billion of Customer travel funds remain in Air traffic liability with a September 7, 2022 expiration date, although the Company has estimated that a portion of those will not be redeemed. The Company has limited data available to predict the occurrence or timing of performance obligation satisfaction on these funds due to certain constraints including, but not limited to, consumer confidence, economic health, vaccines, and uncertainty regarding customer travel fund redemption patterns for funds that live longer than 12 months as this is unprecedented in Company history. As a result, recognition of these travel funds as flown revenue, refunds, or breakage revenue will likely be more volatile from period to period compared to what previous Customer behavior may indicate, as cumulative revenue recognized is constrained to amounts that are not probable of being reversed.

Breakage estimates are based on the Company's Customers' historical travel behavior, as well as assumptions about Customers' future travel behavior. Assumptions used to generate breakage estimates can be impacted by several factors including, but not limited to: fare increases; fare sales; changes to the Company's ticketing policies; changes to the Company’s refund, exchange, and unused funds policies; seat availability; and economic factors.

Recognition of revenue associated with the Company’s loyalty liability can be difficult to predict, as the number of award seats available to members is not currently restricted and they could choose to redeem their points at any time that a seat is available. The performance obligations classified as a current liability related to the Company’s loyalty program were estimated based on expected redemptions utilizing historical redemption patterns, and forecasted flight availability and fares. The entire balance classified as Air traffic liability—noncurrent relates to loyalty points that were estimated to be redeemed in periods beyond the twelve-months following the representative balance sheet date. Based on historical experience as well as current forecasted redemptions, the Company expects the majority of loyalty points to be redeemed within approximately two years of the date the points are issued.

The Company has a co-branded credit card agreement (the “Agreement”) with Chase Bank USA, N.A. (“Chase”), through which the Company sells loyalty points and certain marketing components, which consist of the use of the
brand and access to Rapid Rewards Member lists, licensing and advertising elements, and the use of the Company’s resource team. In 2018, Chase and Southwest executed a multi-year extension of the Agreement, extending the decades-long relationship between the parties. The Company recognized revenue related to the marketing, advertising, and other travel-related benefits of the revenue associated with various loyalty partner agreements including, but not limited to, the Agreement with Chase, within Other operating revenues. For the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company recognized $355 million and $282 million, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company recognized $987 million and $859 million, respectively.