Southwest Airlines's Federal Lobbying Record
Southwest Airlines's $7.1M in disclosed federal lobbying puts it in the mid-tier of registered filers. Spending in the seven-figure range is common for established trade groups, mid-size corporations, and advocacy organizations that maintain a steady but not aggressive presence on Capitol Hill.
Across the 5-year window from 2020 to 2024, Southwest Airlines's annual disclosed lobbying spend has declined modestly — from $1.5M in 2020 to $1.3M in 2024, a change of -14%. Step-changes of this size often coincide with major bills moving through Congress, regulatory rulemakings affecting the organization's industry, or a leadership change in the relevant committee.
Southwest Airlines's disclosed lobbying focuses on a narrow 4-issue footprint. A focused issue list usually means the organization concentrates its federal engagement on a small set of bills or rulemakings directly relevant to its core business.
2 of 5 lobbyists reported by Southwest Airlines (40%) disclose prior federal government service. That share is common at established government affairs operations that explicitly hire from agency and committee staff.
Among the named bench, lobbyists with disclosed prior federal service include Amanda D. Morris (Former Staff Director, Senate Banking Committee); Steven J. Elmendorf (Former Deputy Secretary of Defense). The covered-position field on LDA cover sheets captures executive-branch and senior congressional roles held within the prior two years.
Within the Transportation sector, Southwest Airlines ranks #8 of 17 tracked organizations by disclosed lobbying spend. The sector leader is FedEx Corporation at $34.8M; the sector average is $9.3M. Southwest Airlines's $7.1M sits 23% below the sector average.
Southwest Airlines's LobbySpend Influence Score of 56/100 (grade C) is the most common grade in the index — it covers organizations with established but moderate federal advocacy programs. The score combines disclosed total spend (40%), issue breadth (30%), and revolving-door connections (30%). A C-grade is typical of mid-size corporations and trade associations with steady quarterly filings on a focused issue set.
Every figure above is sourced from Senate lobbying disclosure filings submitted under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. Per-issue dollar splits and covered-position flags are filer-reported and may be amended after initial submission.
Track Southwest Airlines's lobbying filings
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Annual Lobbying Spend
Policy Issues
Government Entities Contacted
Recent Filings
| Period | Registrant | Issues | Lobbyists | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Oct-Dec | Prime Policy Group | TRAGOVAVI+1 | 2 | $331K |
| 2024 Jul-Sep | Capitol Counsel | GOVTAXTRA+1 | 4 | $261K |
| 2024 Apr-Jun | Holland & Knight | GOVAVITAX | 3 | $276K |
| 2024 Jan-Mar | Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld | TRAAVI | 1 | $285K |
| 2023 Oct-Dec | Hogan Lovells | TRAGOVAVI+1 | 2 | $289K |
| 2023 Jul-Sep | Steptoe & Johnson | AVITRA | 4 | $296K |
| 2023 Apr-Jun | K&L Gates | GOVAVI | 3 | $332K |
| 2023 Jan-Mar | Jones Day | TAXAVITRA+1 | 4 | $395K |
Southwest Airlines Lobbying FAQ
Southwest Airlines has spent $7.1M on federal lobbying across 4 policy areas. This includes spending on registered lobbyists and direct government contacts.
Southwest Airlines lobbies on 4 policy issues, including Aviation/Airlines, Transportation, Taxation, Government Issues. These disclosures are filed quarterly with the Senate Office of Public Records.
Southwest Airlines has an Influence Score of 56/100 (Grade C). This proprietary score is based on total lobby spend (40%), policy issue breadth (30%), and revolving door connections (30%).
Southwest Airlines employs 5 registered lobbyists, of whom 2 have revolving door connections, meaning they previously held government positions before becoming lobbyists.
Southwest Airlines has contacted 7 government entities as part of their lobbying activities, including Dept of Commerce, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, White House Office.
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Lobbying data is sourced from quarterly Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings with the Senate Office of Public Records. Influence Scores combine total spend (40%), issue breadth (30%), and revolving door connections (30%). Filings may be amended after initial submission.