DALLAS, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV)
continues its expansion plans with a bold move by introducing its first
nonstop cross-country flights, accompanied by additional short and medium
length flights along the coasts and in the Midwest.

Southwest will begin its first regularly scheduled nonstop coast-to-coast
service Sept. 15 with two daily flights between Baltimore/Washington and Los
Angeles.

“The timing is right to give our Customers the chance to fly nonstop
across our nation at a price they can afford,” said Joyce Rogge, Southwest`s
senior vice president of marketing.  “Our belief is that we will be able to
stimulate new business travel because of our low fares in this long haul
market.  In fact, we are introducing this new nonstop service with a fare of
only $99 each way.”

At the same time, Southwest is not neglecting its niche of short and
medium length flights, which combine to make up more than 80 percent of its
routes.  On Sept. 15, the airline will begin daily nonstop service between
St. Louis and Las Vegas with one daily flight, and it will add another nonstop
flight between Los Angeles and Sacramento (for a total of nine daily nonstop
flights each way).  Southwest is introducing the St. Louis-Las Vegas flight
with a special fare of $99 each way.

Beginning Oct. 6, Southwest also will add another new daily nonstop flight
up and down the East Coast between each of the following cities:— Providence and Tampa Bay (for a total of three daily nonstop flights each way)— Providence and Orlando (for a total of four daily nonstop flights each way)— Manchester and Tampa Bay (for a total of two daily nonstop flights each way)— Manchester and Orlando (for a total of three daily nonstop flights each way)

Southwest will create the new service by accepting four previously
deferred aircraft deliveries from The Boeing Co.  With these four additional
aircraft, Southwest will have accepted delivery of 18 aircraft in 2002,
bringing its fleet total to 370 Boeing 737 aircraft.  These 18 aircraft are
part of the 19 aircraft deliveries deferred last fall.

The new nonstop service between Baltimore/Washington and Los Angeles will
be Southwest`s longest flight with a distance of 2,329 miles.  The airline`s
longest current flight is between Providence and Phoenix with a distance of
2,277 miles.

Southwest`s introductory fare of $99 each way for the nonstop service
between Baltimore/Washington and Los Angeles or between St. Louis and Las
Vegas is on sale now through Sept. 15, 2002, for travel Sept. 15 through
Oct. 25, 2002.  The following restrictions also apply.  The fare requires
roundtrip purchase with an overnight stay (any night).  Tickets must be
purchased at least seven days before departure and within one day of making
reservations.  Fares do not include a federal segment tax of $3 per takeoff
and landing.  Fares do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges
of up to $7.50 roundtrip or federal September 11th Security Fees of up to
$5 roundtrip per person.  Tickets are nonrefundable but (except for tickets
purchased through our Group Tickets program) may be applied toward future
travel on Southwest Airlines.  Seats are limited and may not be available on
some flights that operate during peak or holiday travel times.  Fares are
subject to change until ticketed, and any change in itinerary could result in
an increase in the fare.  The offer applies only to the new nonstop flights
between Baltimore/Washington and Los Angeles or between St. Louis and Las
Vegas.

Southwest Airlines is the nation`s fourth largest carrier in terms of
Customer boardings.  The airline serves 59 airports in 58 cities in 30 states.
The airline currently has more than 34,000 Employees and operates nearly
2,800 flights a day.

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