Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  RICKS RON
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
05/17/2006		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO [LUV]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO., 2702 LOVE FIELD DRIVE		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Sr.VP Law/Airports..
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

DALLAS, TX 75235		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 50,000
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Option (right to buy) 01/23/2000 01/23/2008 Common Stock 3,869 (1) $ 7.87 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/19/2002 01/19/2010 Common Stock 6,825 (2) $ 10.35 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/19/2001 01/19/2010 Common Stock 9,101 (3) $ 10.35 D  
Option (right to buy) 12/31/2000 12/31/2010 Common Stock 3,915 (3) $ 22.8 D  
Option (right to buy) 02/15/2003 02/15/2011 Common Stock 8,428 (3) $ 21.3 D  
Option (right to buy) 02/15/2003 02/15/2011 Common Stock 6,072 (2) $ 21.3 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/01/2002 01/01/2012 Common Stock 3,916 (3) $ 18.73 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/18/2004 01/18/2012 Common Stock 5,317 (2) $ 17.78 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/18/2003 01/18/2012 Common Stock 10,633 (3) $ 17.78 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/07/2003 01/07/2013 Common Stock 3,916 (3) $ 14.33 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/23/2004 01/23/2013 Common Stock 11,281 (3) $ 13.19 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/23/2005 01/23/2013 Common Stock 6,264 (2) $ 13.19 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/05/2004 01/05/2014 Common Stock 3,084 (3) $ 15.91 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/23/2006 01/23/2014 Common Stock 12,079 (3) $ 15.51 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/23/2004 01/23/2014 Common Stock 7,921 (2) $ 15.51 D  
Option (right to buy) 09/01/2004 09/01/2014 Common Stock 415 (3) (4) $ 14.75 D  
Options (right to buy) 09/01/2007 09/01/2014 Common Stock 2,585 (2) (5) $ 14.75 D  
Options (right to buy) 01/20/2005 01/20/2015 Common Stock 3,065 (3) $ 14.25 D  
Options (right to buy) 01/20/2005 01/20/2015 Common Stock 15,222 (3) (6) $ 14.25 D  
Options (right to buy) 01/20/2007 01/20/2015 Common Stock 6,778 (2) $ 14.25 D  
Options (right to buy) 12/31/2005 12/31/2015 Common Stock 40,000 (3) (7) $ 16.43 D  
Options (right to buy) 12/31/2005 12/31/2015 Common Stock 2,719 (3) $ 16.43 D  
Options (right to buy) 12/31/2008 03/17/2016 Common Stock 5,471 (2) $ 17.53 D  
Option (right to buy) 03/31/2006 03/17/2016 Common Stock 34,529 (3) (8) $ 17.53 D  
Option (right to buy) 01/22/2001 01/22/2009 Common Stock 1,223 (3) $ 11.72 D  
Option (right to buy 01/22/2001 01/22/2009 Common Stock 8,531 (2) $ 11.72 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
RICKS RON
C/O SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
2702 LOVE FIELD DRIVE
DALLAS, TX 75235		       Sr.VP Law/Airports..  

Signatures

On behalf of and attorney-in-fact for Ron Ricks /s/Deborah Ackerman 05/17/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Options granted from 1991 ISO Plan.
(2) Options granted from 1996 ISO Plan.
(3) Options granted from 1996 NQ Plan.
(4) Options are exercisable as follows: 230 currently exercisable; and 185 on 9/1/2006.
(5) Options are exercisable as follows: 231 on 9/1/2007; 277 on 9/1/2008; 323 on 9/1/2009; 369 on 9/1/2010; 415 on 9/1/2011; 462 on 9/1/2012 ; and 508 on 9/1/2013.
(6) Options are exercisable as follows: 14,667 currently exercisable; and 555 on 1/20/2007.
(7) Options are exercisable as follows: 13,334 currently exercisable; 13,333 on 12/31/2006; and 13,333 on 1/31/2007.
(8) Options are exercisable as follows: 13,334 on 12/31/2006; 13,333 on 12/31 2007; and 7,862 on 12/31/2008.

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