Southwest Airlines Free Cash Flow (FCF) History (LUV)
Southwest Airlines reported −$831.0M in free cash flow for fiscal 2025, an increase of $761.0M from the previous fiscal year, with a free cash flow margin of −2.96%.
View full Southwest Airlines company overviewSouthwest Airlines free cash flow by year
| Fiscal year | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | Growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2025-12-31 | −$831.0M | $761.0M | — | −2.96% |
| 2024 | 2024-12-31 | −$1.59B | −$1.24B | — | −5.79% |
| 2023 | 2023-12-31 | −$356.0M | −$222.0M | — | −1.36% |
| 2022 | 2022-12-31 | −$134.0M | −$1.95B | — | −0.56% |
| 2021 | 2021-12-31 | $1.82B | $3.46B | — | +11.51% |
| 2020 | 2020-12-31 | −$1.64B | −$4.60B | — | −18.15% |
| 2019 | 2019-12-31 | $2.96B | −$11.0M | −0.37% | +13.20% |
| 2018 | 2018-12-31 | $2.97B | $1.17B | +64.51% | +13.53% |
| 2017 | 2017-12-31 | $1.81B | −$449.0M | −19.91% | +8.54% |
| 2016 | 2016-12-31 | $2.25B | $1.06B | +88.39% | +11.11% |
| 2015 | 2015-12-31 | $1.20B | $43.0M | +3.73% | +6.04% |
| 2014 | 2014-12-31 | $1.15B | $124.0M | +12.04% | +6.20% |
| 2013 | 2013-12-31 | $1.03B | $314.0M | +43.85% | +5.82% |
| 2012 | 2012-12-31 | $716.0M | $328.0M | +84.54% | +4.19% |
| 2011 | 2011-12-31 | $388.0M | −$680.0M | −63.67% | +2.48% |
| 2010 | 2010-12-31 | $1.07B | $668.0M | +167.00% | +8.82% |
| 2009 | 2009-12-31 | $400.0M | $2.84B | — | +3.86% |
| 2008 | 2008-12-31 | −$2.44B | −$3.96B | — | −22.17% |
| 2007 | 2007-12-31 | $1.51B | — | — | +15.35% |
Southwest Airlines quarterly free cash flow
| Fiscal quarter | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | YoY growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 2026-06-30 | −$288.0M | −$29.0M | — | −3.42% |
| Q1 2026 | 2026-03-31 | $788.0M | $455.0M | +136.64% | +10.87% |
| Q4 2025 | 2025-12-31 | −$514.0M | −$530.0M | — | −6.91% |
| Q3 2025 | 2025-09-30 | −$391.0M | $13.0M | — | −5.63% |
| Q2 2025 | 2025-06-30 | −$259.0M | $258.0M | — | −3.58% |
| Q1 2025 | 2025-03-31 | $333.0M | $1.02B | — | +5.18% |
| Q4 2024 | 2024-12-31 | $16.0M | $297.0M | — | +0.23% |
| Q3 2024 | 2024-09-30 | −$404.0M | −$178.0M | — | −5.88% |
| Q2 2024 | 2024-06-30 | −$517.0M | −$1.01B | — | −7.03% |
| Q1 2024 | 2024-03-31 | −$687.0M | −$347.0M | — | −10.85% |
| Q4 2023 | 2023-12-31 | −$281.0M | $495.0M | — | −4.12% |
| Q3 2023 | 2023-09-30 | −$226.0M | $612.0M | — | −3.46% |
| Q2 2023 | 2023-06-30 | $491.0M | −$428.0M | −46.57% | +6.98% |
| Q1 2023 | 2023-03-31 | −$340.0M | −$901.0M | — | −5.96% |
| Q4 2022 | 2022-12-31 | −$776.0M | −$843.0M | — | −12.57% |
| Q3 2022 | 2022-09-30 | −$838.0M | −$128.0M | — | −13.47% |
| Q2 2022 | 2022-06-30 | $919.0M | −$991.0M | −51.88% | +13.66% |
| Q1 2022 | 2022-03-31 | $561.0M | $11.0M | +2.00% | +11.95% |
| Q4 2021 | 2021-12-31 | $67.0M | $753.0M | — | +1.33% |
| Q3 2021 | 2021-09-30 | −$710.0M | $429.0M | — | −15.17% |
| Q2 2021 | 2021-06-30 | $1.91B | $1.13B | +143.62% | +47.65% |
| Q1 2021 | 2021-03-31 | $550.0M | $1.15B | — | +26.80% |
| Q4 2020 | 2020-12-31 | −$686.0M | −$1.25B | — | −34.08% |
| Q3 2020 | 2020-09-30 | −$1.14B | −$1.85B | — | −63.52% |
| Q2 2020 | 2020-06-30 | $784.0M | $48.0M | +6.52% | +77.78% |
| Q1 2020 | 2020-03-31 | −$601.0M | −$1.55B | — | −14.19% |
| Q4 2019 | 2019-12-31 | $563.0M | $112.0M | +24.83% | +9.82% |
| Q3 2019 | 2019-09-30 | $716.0M | −$101.0M | −12.36% | +12.70% |
| Q2 2019 | 2019-06-30 | $736.0M | −$374.0M | −33.69% | +12.46% |
| Q1 2019 | 2019-03-31 | $945.0M | $352.0M | +59.36% | +18.35% |
| Q4 2018 | 2018-12-31 | $451.0M | $409.0M | +973.81% | +7.91% |
| Q3 2018 | 2018-09-30 | $817.0M | $459.0M | +128.21% | +14.65% |
| Q2 2018 | 2018-06-30 | $1.11B | $915.0M | +469.23% | +19.33% |
| Q1 2018 | 2018-03-31 | $593.0M | −$618.0M | −51.03% | +11.99% |
| Q4 2017 | 2017-12-31 | $42.0M | $7.0M | +20.00% | +0.80% |
| Q3 2017 | 2017-09-30 | $358.0M | −$34.0M | −8.67% | +6.75% |
| Q2 2017 | 2017-06-30 | $195.0M | −$455.0M | −70.00% | +3.40% |
| Q1 2017 | 2017-03-31 | $1.21B | $33.0M | +2.80% | +24.95% |
| Q4 2016 | 2016-12-31 | $35.0M | $522.0M | — | +0.71% |
| Q3 2016 | 2016-09-30 | $392.0M | −$214.0M | −35.31% | +7.63% |
| Q2 2016 | 2016-06-30 | $650.0M | $451.0M | +226.63% | +12.07% |
| Q1 2016 | 2016-03-31 | $1.18B | $299.0M | +34.02% | +24.41% |
| Q4 2015 | 2015-12-31 | −$487.0M | −$226.0M | — | −9.79% |
| Q3 2015 | 2015-09-30 | $606.0M | $772.0M | — | +11.40% |
| Q2 2015 | 2015-06-30 | $199.0M | −$658.0M | −76.78% | +3.89% |
| Q1 2015 | 2015-03-31 | $879.0M | $155.0M | +21.41% | +19.91% |
| Q4 2014 | 2014-12-31 | −$261.0M | −$97.0M | — | −5.64% |
| Q3 2014 | 2014-09-30 | −$166.0M | −$326.0M | — | −3.46% |
| Q2 2014 | 2014-06-30 | $857.0M | $272.0M | +46.50% | +17.10% |
| Q1 2014 | 2014-03-31 | $724.0M | $275.0M | +61.25% | +17.38% |
| Q4 2013 | 2013-12-31 | −$164.0M | $5.0M | — | −3.70% |
| Q3 2013 | 2013-09-30 | $160.0M | $102.0M | +175.86% | +3.52% |
| Q2 2013 | 2013-06-30 | $585.0M | $856.0M | — | +12.60% |
| Q1 2013 | 2013-03-31 | $449.0M | −$649.0M | −59.11% | +10.99% |
| Q4 2012 | 2012-12-31 | −$169.0M | −$121.0M | — | −4.05% |
| Q3 2012 | 2012-09-30 | $58.0M | $552.0M | — | +1.35% |
| Q2 2012 | 2012-06-30 | −$271.0M | −$293.0M | — | −5.87% |
| Q1 2012 | 2012-03-31 | $1.10B | $190.0M | +20.93% | +27.51% |
| Q4 2011 | 2011-12-31 | −$48.0M | −$319.0M | — | −1.17% |
| Q3 2011 | 2011-09-30 | −$494.0M | −$779.0M | — | −11.46% |
| Q2 2011 | 2011-06-30 | $22.0M | $22.0M | +5774178.22% | +0.53% |
| Q1 2011 | 2011-03-31 | $908.0M | $674.0M | +288.03% | +29.26% |
| Q4 2010 | 2010-12-31 | $271.0M | $664.0M | — | +4.31% |
| Q3 2010 | 2010-09-30 | $285.0M | $411.0M | — | +8.93% |
| Q2 2010 | 2010-06-30 | $381 | $52.0M | — | +12.03% |
| Q1 2010 | 2010-03-31 | $234.0M | $33.0M | +16.42% | +8.90% |
| Q4 2009 | 2009-12-31 | −$393.0M | $2.31B | — | −14.50% |
| Q3 2009 | 2009-09-30 | −$126.0M | $2.33B | — | −4.73% |
| Q2 2009 | 2009-06-30 | −$52.0M | −$2.17B | — | −1.99% |
| Q1 2009 | 2009-03-31 | $201.0M | −$399.0M | −66.50% | +8.53% |
| Q4 2008 | 2008-12-31 | −$2.70B | — | — | −98.90% |
| Q3 2008 | 2008-09-30 | −$2.45B | — | — | −84.88% |
| Q2 2008 | 2008-06-30 | $2.11B | — | — | +73.65% |
| Q1 2008 | 2008-03-31 | $600.0M | — | — | +23.72% |
Southwest Airlines free cash flow growth trends
Over the last five reported fiscal years, free cash flow grew from −$1.64B to −$831.0M, a net increase of $811.0M. Southwest Airlines's latest reported quarter, Q2 2026, generated −$288.0M in free cash flow, a decrease of $29.0M year over year.
What free cash flow means
Free cash flow is the cash a company generates from operations after capital expenditures. Positive FCF can fund dividends, buybacks, debt repayment, or reinvestment; negative FCF means capital spending exceeded operating cash flow for that period.
How free cash flow is calculated
TickerStat calculates free cash flow as SEC-reported operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. FCF margin equals free cash flow divided by revenue. Fiscal periods can differ from calendar years, so the tables include exact period-end dates.
Review Southwest Airlines filings at SEC.gov ↗