How Much Does the Southwest Airlines CEO Make?
Bob Jordan, CEO of Southwest Airlines, earned $13.0M in total compensation in 2024, including $6.5M in stock awards and $1,300,000 in base salary.
This page answers a common executive-compensation question: How Much Does the Southwest Airlines CEO Make?. The answer draws on SEC DEF 14A proxy statements, the public disclosure mechanism for U.S. public-company executive pay. Every public company must file an annual proxy statement disclosing CEO and named-executive-officer compensation in detail. Why this matters for shareholders: executive compensation is the single most-disclosed governance metric at U.S. public companies, and the Dodd-Frank-mandated say-on-pay vote gives shareholders an explicit channel to express approval or dissent. Reading pay data well — including pay-versus-performance, peer-group selection, and time-vesting structures — is a basic part of stock-by-stock fundamental analysis.
The detailed answer below uses the actual proxy-statement filings, explains how to read them, and translates the executive-compensation accounting into the shareholder-relevant interpretation.
Bob Jordan leads Southwest Airlines (LUV), a Airlines company with approximately 74,000 employees. In the 2024 proxy statement filed with the SEC, Bob Jordan's total compensation of $13,000,000 included $1,300,000 in base salary, $0 in cash bonus, $6,500,000 in stock awards, and $1,560,000 in option awards.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio at Southwest Airlines is 173:1, meaning the CEO earns 173x the median worker's pay of $75,000. Over the past three years, Southwest Airlines produced a total shareholder return of -2.0% against -3.0% revenue growth. Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates the alignment as C (50/100).
In the most recent say-on-pay vote, 89.4% of shareholders approved the executive compensation plan. Moderate shareholder support suggests some investor concern with pay practices.
Key Data
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Compensation | $13,000,000 |
| Base Salary | $1,300,000 |
| Stock Awards | $6,500,000 |
| Option Awards | $1,560,000 |
| Non-Equity Incentive | $1,950,000 |
| CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio | 173:1 |
| Pay-Performance Grade | C |
Other Airlines CEOs
Frequently Asked Questions
Bob Jordan, CEO of Southwest Airlines, earned $13.0M in total compensation in 2024, including $6.5M in stock awards and $1,300,000 in base salary.
Bob Jordan is the chief executive officer of Southwest Airlines (LUV).
The CEO at Southwest Airlines earns approximately 173 times the median worker's pay of $75,000.
In 2024, total compensation of $13,000,000 was composed of $1,300,000 base salary, $0 cash bonus, $6,500,000 stock awards, $1,560,000 option awards, and $1,950,000 in non-equity incentive compensation.
Our Pay-for-Performance Score rates Southwest Airlines as C (50/100), based on three-year total shareholder return of -2.0%, revenue growth of -3.0%, and shareholder say-on-pay vote approval.
Bob Jordan, CEO of Southwest Airlines, earned $13.0M in total compensation in 2024, including $6.5M in stock awards and $1,300,000 in base salary.
Source: SEC EDGAR DEF 14A proxy statements, 2026.