Q: What are the Pilot domiciles at Southwest?

Atlanta (ATL) Baltimore/Washington (BWI) Dallas Love Field (DAL) Denver (DEN) Houston (Hobby) (HOU) Las Vegas (LAS) Los Angeles (LAX) Orlando (MCO) Chicago (Midway) (MDW) Oakland (OAK) Phoenix (PHX) We run a monthly vacancy bid, giving you the opportunity to change your domicile 12 times per year! We have ETOPS Pilots based in Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), and Oakland (OAK).

Question 1

What is First Officer training like at Southwest?

Accepted Answer

During New Hire training, you’ll spend approximately two months at our state-of-the-art training facility in Dallas. Known to us as the LEAD Center, our training facility is for Leadership, Education, and Aircrew Development.&#xa0; Our LEAD Center, which is growing, currently houses: Eight Boeing 737 MAX simulators&#xa0; 12 Boeing 737-800 simulators&#xa0; Four Boeing 737-700 simulators&#xa0; 48 simulator briefing rooms 29 procedures trainers&#xa0;and briefing rooms 21 classrooms&#xa0; Many instructors dedicated to your success​​​​​​​ During your time in training, we’ll provide you with single-occupancy hotel accommodations, transportation to and from the training facility, and full pay. Also from day one, you and your eligible dependents receive full benefits such as medical and dental insurance, life insurance, and travel benefits. We’ll also provide you with an Electronic Flight Bag iPad and everything you’d possibly need for a world-class training experience.

Question 2

What does a First Officer's first year look like?

Accepted Answer

Matched with a Southwest Airlines mentor Your mentor is a current Southwest First Officer with similar flight experience First day at Southwest Airlines Celebratory welcome dinner with a guest to meet Southwest Leaders 50 days to complete your Initial Training Period Celebrate passing your Boeing 737 Type Rating check ride 25+ flight hours: Initial Operating Experience Fly with a Southwest Check Pilot to build Line Flying experience 30-day period: first month of on-line flying New First Officers are assigned a flying line for the first month to transition to the line with the added bonus of not sitting reserve Four months from start: check in and get to know your Chief Pilot Six months from start: First Officer Leadership course in Dallas Two-day event covering CRM/RRM, Safety data and trends, and the opportunity to meet with Senior Leaders Nine months from start: meet with your Chief Pilot Another check-in with tips on how to prepare for your upcoming check ride 11 months from start: complete your first AQP check ride One year from start: celebrate your first Southwest anniversary Receive your second-year pay increase​​​​​​​​​​​

Question 3

What are the Pilot&#xa0;domiciles at Southwest?

Accepted Answer

Atlanta (ATL) Baltimore/Washington (BWI) Dallas Love Field&#xa0;(DAL) Denver (DEN) Houston (Hobby) (HOU) Las Vegas (LAS) Los Angeles (LAX) Orlando (MCO) Chicago (Midway) (MDW) Oakland (OAK) Phoenix (PHX) We run a monthly vacancy bid,&#xa0;giving you the opportunity to change your domicile 12 times per year! We have ETOPS Pilots based in&#xa0;Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), and Oakland (OAK).

Question 4

Does Southwest offer schedule flexibility?

Accepted Answer

Southwest Airlines Pilots enjoy one of the most flexible scheduling policies in the industry. We offer all Pilots, regardless of seniority, the ability to modify their schedule extensively to suit their needs. &#xa0;&#xa0; We don’t use Preferential Bidding (PBS) so you can see what your exact schedule is before you bid on it. &#xa0;&#xa0; Our vacation overlap system allows you the option to drop any flying that touches your vacation week, potentially gaining you many more days off. Pilots can trade their trips with each other via a web-based system, even with Pilots in a different base. Vacation trading works the same way! Pilots can trade their flying with the Company for different trips that suit their needs. A Pilot can drop their flying line down to zero (with some restrictions)—there’s no minimum you must fly. You can increase the amount of your flying, up to FAA limits (with some buffers). Pilots are paid 100% credit for every leg they deadhead. We group the majority of our flying into an a.m. or p.m. pattern for circadian rhythm. Whether you're an early bird or a night owl, we have something to suit you!

Question 5

What does a Pilot schedule look like?

Accepted Answer

8% of our trips are a single day out-and-back 11% of our trips are two days long 63% of our trips are three days long 18% of trips are four days long We currently don’t fly red-eyes On average, Pilots fly 2.7 flights per day* Our reserve Pilots average 15 days off per month Our line-holder Pilots average 17.6 days off per month Our average flight is two&#xa0;hours and 30 minutes&#xa0;long* Our shortest flight&#xa0;is 40 minutes long Our longest flight&#xa0;is six&#xa0;hours and 20 minutes long We currently fly 68 ETOPS flight per day between the Mainland and Hawaii* This schedule is based on the average trips in 2021 *Based on&#xa0;2021 Fourth Quarter

Question 6

What is your Adopt-A-Pilot® program?

Accepted Answer

Since 1997, Southwest Airlines Pilots have visited classrooms and led activities demonstrating to students how curriculum such as science, geography, and math is applied in "real life".

Learn more about our Adopt-A-Pilot Program.

Question 7

What are the current destinations Southwest offers?

Accepted Answer

Are you interested in where we fly? Check out our route map for the most up-to-date destinations.&#xa0;

Question 8

More benefits you'll love.

Accepted Answer

We offer Roth and Traditional 401(k) options* We’ll reimburse most of the cost of your FAA Medical and EKG (when required) We’ll pay for your passport renewal expenses Access to CASS to take advantage of multiple jumpseat agreements Enhanced gender transition benefits** Adoption Assistance Expense Reimbursement Program** Employees and eligible dependents receive access to free counseling resources and work/life balance tools *401(k) and ProfitSharing contributions are subject to the plan’s vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company. **Benefits vary depending on the workgroup.

Question 9

What is First Officer training like at Southwest?

Accepted Answer

During New Hire training, you’ll spend approximately two months at our state-of-the-art training facility in Dallas. Known to us as the LEAD Center, our training facility is for Leadership, Education, and Aircrew Development.&#xa0; Our LEAD Center, which is growing, currently houses: Eight Boeing 737 MAX simulators&#xa0; 12 Boeing 737-800 simulators&#xa0; Four Boeing 737-700 simulators&#xa0; 48 simulator briefing rooms 29 procedures trainers&#xa0;and briefing rooms 21 classrooms&#xa0; Many instructors dedicated to your success​​​​​​​ During your time in training, we’ll provide you with single-occupancy hotel accommodations, transportation to and from the training facility, and full pay. Also from day one, you and your eligible dependents receive full benefits such as medical and dental insurance, life insurance, and travel benefits. We’ll also provide you with an Electronic Flight Bag iPad and everything you’d possibly need for a world-class training experience.

Question 10

What does a First Officer's first year look like?

Accepted Answer

Matched with a Southwest Airlines mentor Your mentor is a current Southwest First Officer with similar flight experience First day at Southwest Airlines Celebratory welcome dinner with a guest to meet Southwest Leaders 50 days to complete your Initial Training Period Celebrate passing your Boeing 737 Type Rating check ride 25+ flight hours: Initial Operating Experience Fly with a Southwest Check Pilot to build Line Flying experience 30-day period: first month of on-line flying New First Officers are assigned a flying line for the first month to transition to the line with the added bonus of not sitting reserve Four months from start: check in and get to know your Chief Pilot Six months from start: First Officer Leadership course in Dallas Two-day event covering CRM/RRM, Safety data and trends, and the opportunity to meet with Senior Leaders Nine months from start: meet with your Chief Pilot Another check-in with tips on how to prepare for your upcoming check ride 11 months from start: complete your first AQP check ride One year from start: celebrate your first Southwest anniversary Receive your second-year pay increase​​​​​​​​​​​

Question 11

What are the Pilot&#xa0;domiciles at Southwest?

Accepted Answer

Atlanta (ATL) Baltimore/Washington (BWI) Dallas Love Field&#xa0;(DAL) Denver (DEN) Houston (Hobby) (HOU) Las Vegas (LAS) Los Angeles (LAX) Orlando (MCO) Chicago (Midway) (MDW) Oakland (OAK) Phoenix (PHX) We run a monthly vacancy bid,&#xa0;giving you the opportunity to change your domicile 12 times per year! We have ETOPS Pilots based in&#xa0;Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), and Oakland (OAK).

Question 12

Does Southwest offer schedule flexibility?

Accepted Answer

Southwest Airlines Pilots enjoy one of the most flexible scheduling policies in the industry. We offer all Pilots, regardless of seniority, the ability to modify their schedule extensively to suit their needs. &#xa0;&#xa0; We don’t use Preferential Bidding (PBS) so you can see what your exact schedule is before you bid on it. &#xa0;&#xa0; Our vacation overlap system allows you the option to drop any flying that touches your vacation week, potentially gaining you many more days off. Pilots can trade their trips with each other via a web-based system, even with Pilots in a different base. Vacation trading works the same way! Pilots can trade their flying with the Company for different trips that suit their needs. A Pilot can drop their flying line down to zero (with some restrictions)—there’s no minimum you must fly. You can increase the amount of your flying, up to FAA limits (with some buffers). Pilots are paid 100% credit for every leg they deadhead. We group the majority of our flying into an a.m. or p.m. pattern for circadian rhythm. Whether you're an early bird or a night owl, we have something to suit you!

Question 13

What does a Pilot schedule look like?

Accepted Answer

8% of our trips are a single day out-and-back 11% of our trips are two days long 63% of our trips are three days long 18% of trips are four days long We currently don’t fly red-eyes On average, Pilots fly 2.7 flights per day* Our reserve Pilots average 15 days off per month Our line-holder Pilots average 17.6 days off per month Our average flight is two&#xa0;hours and 30 minutes&#xa0;long* Our shortest flight&#xa0;is 40 minutes long Our longest flight&#xa0;is six&#xa0;hours and 20 minutes long We currently fly 68 ETOPS flight per day between the Mainland and Hawaii* This schedule is based on the average trips in 2021 *Based on&#xa0;2021 Fourth Quarter

Question 14

What is your Adopt-A-Pilot® program?

Accepted Answer

Since 1997, Southwest Airlines Pilots have visited classrooms and led activities demonstrating to students how curriculum such as science, geography, and math is applied in "real life".

Learn more about our Adopt-A-Pilot Program.

Question 15

What are the current destinations Southwest offers?

Accepted Answer

Are you interested in where we fly? Check out our route map for the most up-to-date destinations.&#xa0;

Question 16

More benefits you'll love.

Accepted Answer

We offer Roth and Traditional 401(k) options* We’ll reimburse most of the cost of your FAA Medical and EKG (when required) We’ll pay for your passport renewal expenses Access to CASS to take advantage of multiple jumpseat agreements Enhanced gender transition benefits** Adoption Assistance Expense Reimbursement Program** Employees and eligible dependents receive access to free counseling resources and work/life balance tools *401(k) and ProfitSharing contributions are subject to the plan’s vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company. **Benefits vary depending on the workgroup.

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