Texas › Transportation and warehousing › 5,000 to 24,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
Southwest Airlines Pilots Retirement Savings Plan
Sponsored by Southwest Airlines Company, Irving, TX
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
In the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, Southwest Airlines Pilots Retirement Savings Plan covered 13,086 participants and held $11.6B in net assets. The plan is a 401(k) plan sponsored by Southwest Airlines Company of Irving, Texas. It is a multiple-employer plan covering the employees of more than one employer.
Net assets came to $888,183 per participant, well above the $64,499 median for defined contribution plans with 5,000 to 24,999 participants and well above the $32,883 median for defined contribution plans in transportation and warehousing. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
The employer contributed $503M during the year, or $43,037 per active participant against a same-size median of $2,424; participants contributed $242M and $139M arrived as rollovers and other contributions. Benefits paid out totalled $482M.
Schedule C lists 15 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $6.6M: $504 per participant, well above the same-size median of $53.38. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $7.7M. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $1.61B in 2009 to $11.6B in 2024 (up 623%), and participants from 6,292 to 13,086 (up 108%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified), from an audit whose scope was limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C) to exclude investment information certified by a bank or insurer.
Compared with similar plans
| Measure | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DC plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $888,183 | $64,499 | $32,883 | $53,102 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $43,037 | $2,424 | $1,396 | $2,175 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $504 | $53.38 | $113 | $123 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.06% | 0.09% | 0.33% | 0.26% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $591 | $54.85 | $97.79 | $116 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined contribution plans with 100 or more participants: 5,000 to 24,999 participants (2,605 plans), transportation and warehousing (1,909) and all US plans (63,460). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13,086 | $11.6B | $888,183 | $503M | $242M | $6.6M |
| 2023 | 12,645 | $9.14B | $723,004 | $355M | $198M | $5.2M |
| 2022 | 10,935 | $7.58B | $693,532 | $322M | $177M | $4.6M |
| 2021 | 10,270 | $8.74B | $851,136 | $302M | $165M | $4.8M |
| 2020 | 10,459 | $7.47B | $714,483 | $300M | $173M | $3.5M |
| 2019 | 10,633 | $6.44B | $605,440 | $297M | $168M | $3.0M |
| 2018 | 10,290 | $5.07B | $492,669 | $274M | $160M | $2.7M |
| 2017 | 9,587 | $5.09B | $531,122 | $248M | $152M | $2.2M |
| 2016 | 8,935 | $4.14B | $463,626 | $173M | $154M | $1.8M |
| 2015 | 8,579 | $3.62B | $422,541 | $132M | $145M | $748K |
| 2014 | 8,183 | $3.12B | $381,509 | $121M | $124M | $1.2M |
| 2013 | 7,046 | $2.85B | $403,913 | $108M | $113M | $1.1M |
| 2012 | 6,755 | $2.37B | $351,272 | $102M | $106M | $841K |
| 2011 | 6,444 | $2.02B | $313,401 | $98.5M | $99.1M | $696K |
| 2010 | 6,197 | $1.93B | $312,124 | $96.5M | $96.0M | $1.0M |
| 2009 | 6,292 | $1.61B | $255,440 | $71.5M | $87.9M | $868K |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$9,142,389,510
- Employer contributions$502,626,174
- Participant contributions$242,271,134
- Rollovers and other contributions$138,524,157
- Total contributions$883,421,465
- Total income, including investment results$2,276,949,695
- Benefits paid$482,270,085
- Administrative expenses$7,739,627
- Total expenses$490,232,065
- Net income$1,786,717,630
- Net transfers$693,656,235
- Net assets, end of year$11,622,763,375
Participants
- Active participants11,679
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits0
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits1,349
- Participants with account balances12,980
- Total participants, end of year13,086
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Anglin Financial LLC | Investment advisory (participants) | $1,993,618 | $0 |
| Fisher Investments | Investment advisory (participants) | $716,470 | $0 |
| Total Investment Management in | Investment advisory (participants) | $521,575 | $0 |
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services,inc | Recordkeeping and information management | $371,728 | $0 |
| Mountain Capital Investment Ad | Investment advisory (participants) | $301,994 | $0 |
| Symphony Risk Solutions, LLC | Investment management | $258,306 | $0 |
| Charles Schwab and Co.,inc. | Securities brokerage | $206,048 | $0 |
| Act Wealth Management LLC | Investment advisory (participants) | $194,716 | $0 |
| Hamilton Capital LLC | Investment advisory (participants) | $121,583 | $0 |
| Creative Planning LLC | Investment advisory (participants) | $95,532 | $0 |
| Prudent Man Investment Managem | Investment advisory (participants) | $93,933 | $0 |
| Stonebridge Capital Advisors L | Investment advisory (participants) | $93,214 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. 3 smaller rows are not shown. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Investment advisory and management fees$6,898,898
- Contract administrator fees$468,894
- Recordkeeping fees$371,835
- Total administrative expenses$7,739,627
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$4.80B · 41.3%
- Common/collective trusts$3.65B · 31.4%
- Other investments$2.49B · 21.4%
- Insurance company general account$330M · 2.8%
- Cash (interest and non-interest bearing)$307M · 2.6%
- Participant loans$49.6M · 0.4%
- Receivables$600K · 0.0%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmWeaver and Tidwell,l.l.p.
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $500,000
- Blackout period during the yearNo
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
2EProfit-sharing plan2FERISA section 404(c) plan2GTotal participant-directed account plan2JCode section 401(k) feature2KCode section 401(m) arrangement2RParticipant-directed brokerage accounts provided as an investment option under the plan2S401(k) plan or 403(b) plan that provides for automatic enrollment2TTotal or partial participant-directed account plan with a default investment account2XMultiple-employer defined contribution pension plan not under codes 2U, 2V or 2W
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 481000: Air Transportation.
Other plans of Southwest Airlines Company
| Plan | Participants | Net assets |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines Co. Retirement Savings Plan | 87,150 | $18.9B |
| Southwest Airlines Market-Based Cash Balance Plan | 11,336 | $40.8M |
Similar plans in Texas
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loomis 401(k) Pre-Tax Savings Plan | Loomis Armored US, LLC | 13,100 | $258M | $19,722 |
| Ceva 401(k) Plan | Ceva Logistics U.S. Holdings, Inc. | 12,803 | $585M | $45,675 |
| Worldwide Flight Services, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Worldwide Flight Services, Inc. | 16,245 | $83.3M | $5,130 |
| Menzies Aviation (USA), Inc. 401(k) Plan | Menzie's Aviation (USA), Inc. | 10,498 | $81.8M | $7,788 |
| American Airlines, Inc. 401(k) Plan for Pilots | American Airlines, Inc. - Retirement | 18,671 | $11.7B | $624,467 |
| G2 Secure Staff, L.L.C. Employees Savings Trust | G2 Secure Staff, L.L.C. | 9,585 | $19.7M | $2,057 |
Defined contribution plans in transportation and warehousing closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Southwest Airlines Pilots Retirement Savings Plan?
13,086 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 11,679 were active employees, with net assets of $11,622,763,375. Among defined contribution plans that places it in the 5,000 to 24,999 participants band, which held 2,605 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Southwest Airlines Company contribute per participant?
The filing reports $502,626,174 in employer contributions for the year, which is $43,037 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $2,424 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $6,595,550 in compensation to service provider organisations, $504 per participant or 0.06% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $53.38 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $7,739,627. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Southwest Airlines Company. Recordkeeping or administration: Schwab Retirement Plan Services,inc. Investment advisory or management: Smith Anglin Financial LLC, Fisher Investments and Total Investment Management in. The financial statements were audited by Weaver and Tidwell,l.l.p.. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion from a limited-scope audit, in which the accountant did not audit investment information certified by a bank or insurance company. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024, received by the Department of Labor on 13 Oct 2025. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 74-1563240, plan 003, received 13 Oct 2025; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.