The cluster of changes made at Southwest Airlines will make the carrier more appealing to corporate customers, according to executives speaking on a fourth quarter earnings call. Changes have included an increasing presence in the GDS, assigned and extra-legroom seating, charging for bags, adding international partners and implementing a basic economy fare.

Robert Jordan, CEO, said, “We’re encouraged that we’ll see share shift to Southwest Airlines because the product is a stronger offering now, especially with corporate.” He added, “We see meaningful opportunities ahead to grow earnings from areas such as route network optimization under a backdrop of improved operating margins in the business, increasing our corporate customer base driven by product changes that better appeal to the business traveler.”

Andrew Watterson , COO, said the carrier has invested in its corporate infrastructure over recent years, noting its presence in the GDS. But what was missing, he said, was “the product that corporate travelers want to buy.”  He continued, “We have this new product … and we think there’s upside to our corporate business from this new product on top of the infrastructure we already built.”

Southwest’s fourth quarter passenger revenue was nearly $6.8 billion, up 8% year over year, with total quarterly revenue of more than $7.4 billion, up 7%. Full-year passenger revenue was more than $25.5 billion, a 2% increase year over year, while total 2025 revenue was more than $28 billion, a 2% increase. 

Net income for the quarter was $323 million, compared with $261 million a year prior. Full-year net income was $441 million, compared with $465 million in 2024. 

Fourth quarter capacity increased 5.8% year over year, with full-year capacity up 1.6% compared with 2024.