Southwest Airlines 401(k) and pension plans

Southwest Airlines Co., Dallas, TX. EIN 74-1563240. Annual reports 2009–2025. Also filed as Southwest Airlines Company.

Southwest Airlines Co. has 3 active retirement plans on file. The largest is the Southwest Airlines Co. Retirement Savings Plan, with 87,150 participants and $18.9 billion in assets in 2025. Empower has been its recordkeeper since 2014.

Active plans: 3
Participants: 111,572
Plan assets: $30.5 billion
401(k) recordkeeper: Empower
Plans on file: 4
Industry: Transportation and warehousing

All 4 plans

Active plans first

Southwest Airlines Co. Retirement Savings Plan

401(k)Active

Active. The plan filed its annual report for the 2025 plan year.

Plan number: 004Employer EIN 74-1563240
Participants (2025): 87,150
Net assets (2025): $18.9 billion
Recordkeeper: EmpowerEarlier: J.P. Morgan (2009–2013)
Plan administrator: Southwest Airlines Co. Retirement Savings Plan Committee
Po Box 36611
Dallas, TX 75235
(214) 792-4000As filed for 2025
In effect since: January 1, 1991

Plans merged into this one: Southwest Airlines Co. Profitsharing Plan (2024); Airtran Airways Technical Operations Retirement Savings Plan (2015); Airtran Airways, Inc. 401(k) Plan (2016).

Earlier plan names: Southwest Airlines Co. 401K Plan.

Year by year, 2009 to 2025

Plan year	Participants	Net assets	Recordkeeper
2025	87,150	$18.9 billion	Empower
2024	85,685	$17.0 billion	Empower
2023	76,035	$9.9 billion	Empower
2022	67,933	$8.0 billion	Empower
2021	57,539	$9.6 billion	not listed
2020	58,813	$8.4 billion	Empower
2019	60,332	$8.2 billion	Empower
2018	58,180	$6.5 billion	Empower
2017	55,052	$6.7 billion	Empower
2016	52,421	$5.4 billion	Empower
2015	50,289	$4.8 billion	Empower
2014	47,609	$4.6 billion	Empower
2013	44,744	$4.2 billion	J.P. Morgan
2012	41,799	$3.3 billion	J.P. Morgan
2011	38,372	$2.7 billion	J.P. Morgan
2010	35,800	$2.5 billion	J.P. Morgan
2009	34,596	$2.1 billion	J.P. Morgan

Southwest Airlines Pilots Retirement Savings Plan

401(k)Active

Active. The plan filed its annual report for the 2024 plan year.

Plan number: 003Employer EIN 74-1563240
Participants (2024): 13,086
Net assets (2024): $11.6 billion
Recordkeeper: Schwab2009–2024
Plan administrator: Southwest Airlines Company
5221 N. O'Connor BLVD. Suite 500
Irving, TX 75039
(214) 722-4251As filed for 2024
In effect since: January 1, 1986

Plans merged into this one: Airtran Airways Pilot Retirement Savings and Investment Plan (2015).

Year by year, 2009 to 2024

Plan year	Participants	Net assets	Recordkeeper
2024	13,086	$11.6 billion	Schwab
2023	12,645	$9.1 billion	Schwab
2022	10,935	$7.6 billion	Schwab
2021	10,270	$8.7 billion	Schwab
2020	10,459	$7.5 billion	Schwab
2019	10,633	$6.4 billion	Schwab
2018	10,290	$5.1 billion	Schwab
2017	9,587	$5.1 billion	Schwab
2016	8,935	$4.1 billion	Schwab
2015	8,579	$3.6 billion	Schwab
2014	8,183	$3.1 billion	Schwab
2013	7,046	$2.8 billion	Schwab
2012	6,755	$2.4 billion	Schwab
2011	6,444	$2.0 billion	Schwab
2010	6,197	$1.9 billion	Schwab
2009	6,292	$1.6 billion	Schwab

Southwest Airlines Market-Based Cash Balance Plan

Cash balance pensionActive

Active. The plan filed its annual report for the 2024 plan year.

Plan number: 007Employer EIN 74-1563240
Participants (2024): 11,336
Net assets (2024): $40.8 million
Plan administrator: Southwest Airlines Co. Retirement Savings Plan Committee
2702 Love Field Drive, HDQ-6TX
Dallas, TX 75235
(214) 792-4000As filed for 2024
In effect since: January 1, 2024

Southwest Airlines Co. Profitsharing Plan

Profit-sharing planMerged

Merged. In 2024 its assets moved to the Southwest Airlines Co. 401K Plan, sponsored by Southwest Airlines Co. (EIN 74-1563240, plan 004). Accounts moved with them, so that plan is the one to contact.

Plan number: 001Employer EIN 74-1563240
Participants (2023): 87,191
Net assets (2023): $5.8 billion
Recordkeeper: EmpowerEarlier: J.P. Morgan (2009–2013)
Plan administrator: Southwest Airlines Co. PS 401(K)COMMITTEE
P.O. Box 36611
Dallas, TX 75235
(214) 792-4000As filed for 2024
In effect since: January 1, 1973

Earlier plan names: Southwest Airlines Co. Profit Sharing Plan.

Year by year, 2009 to 2024

Plan year	Participants	Net assets	Recordkeeper
2024	0	$0	Empower
2023	87,191	$5.8 billion	Empower
2022	79,027	$5.3 billion	Empower
2021	67,904	$6.7 billion	not listed
2020	66,932	$6.3 billion	Empower
2019	65,700	$6.1 billion	Empower
2018	62,186	$5.0 billion	Empower
2017	58,989	$5.5 billion	Empower
2016	55,055	$4.5 billion	Empower
2015	52,429	$4.0 billion	Empower
2014	52,631	$3.7 billion	Empower
2013	52,302	$2.8 billion	J.P. Morgan
2012	45,632	$2.1 billion	J.P. Morgan
2011	41,191	$1.8 billion	J.P. Morgan
2010	40,076	$1.9 billion	J.P. Morgan
2009	38,968	$1.7 billion	J.P. Morgan

If you had money in one of these plans

Call Empower (empower.com), which runs the Southwest Airlines Co. Retirement Savings Plan. With your Social Security number and the plan name, it can tell you whether you still have a balance and, if not, where it went.
Or call the plan administrator listed on the plan below ((214) 792-4000). That number was filed for 2025; ask for the benefits or retirement plan office.
If your plan was merged, your account moved with it. Follow the link on the plan to the plan it went into, and contact that one.
Still stuck? The Department of Labor's benefits advisers help for free: askebsa.dol.gov or 1-866-444-3272. Never pay anyone to find your own money.

What these numbers are

They come from the Form 5500 annual reports each plan files with the Department of Labor, as the plan filed them. A plan year is usually a calendar year.
Participants counts everyone in the plan at year end: current employees, former employees who still have a balance or a pension coming, and retirees or beneficiaries being paid.
The recordkeeper is the service provider whose Schedule C entry says it keeps the plan's records. Small plans do not file Schedule C, so some plans show none.
We cannot see anyone's account. Only the plan or its recordkeeper can tell you your balance.

Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Form 5500 datasets and PBGC trusteed plans. How we read them.