Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Southwest Airlines has been intrinsically linked to Dallas since its founding, shaping the city's aviation landscape and economy in profound ways.
The airline's global headquarters is located at 2702 Love Field Drive, Dallas, TX 75235, adjacent to its primary hub at Dallas Love Field. The campus is open to the public on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, offering exhibits on company history and occasional guided tours.
Founded in 1967 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King, Southwest began with three Boeing 737-200s flying between Dallas Love Field and Houston Hobby. The airline's low-fare, point-to-point model revolutionized U.S. air travel. Today, it operates over 700 aircraft serving more than 100 destinations.
Southwest is the dominant carrier at Love Field, with over 200 daily departures. The airline maintains a major maintenance base there, employing over 5,000 technicians and support staff.
Southwest employs over 15,000 people in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and generates more than $5 billion in annual regional economic activity. The airline is also a tourism catalyst, bringing over 20 million visitors to Dallas each year.