Southwest Airlines Careers & Jobs – Application, How to Apply, Requirements & Interview Tips
Last Updated: May 12th, 2022 by
Whether it’s on the ground or in the air, a Southwest Airlines career will take you places.
Southwest Airlines is a low-fare carrier that was founded over 50 years ago. Today, it’s also the largest carrier in the United States!
Southwest Airlines is headquartered in Texas and offers both part-time and full-time roles. Its flights go to over 100 local destinations and 10 foreign countries.
You can submit a Southwest Airlines application for roles in all kinds of departments. There are roles in the air as well as on the ground at airports. There are even jobs you could apply for at their corporate offices.
At Southwest Airlines, you could work as a Customer Service Representative, Baggage Handler, as an Operations Agent and more!
This guide will help you land a job and prepare a Southwest Airlines application by telling you everything you need to know. It covers popular jobs, salaries, and even interview questions to help you.
Southwest Airlines Jobs & Careers
You can apply for jobs at Southwest Airlines through their Southwest Careers website.
Here, you can find the right jobs for yourself. You can also find out about the company’s benefits, work culture, and special programs you may qualify for.
Southwest Airlines offers many jobs across different departments, including:
Customer Service Representative
As a Customer Service Representative, you’ll be on the frontlines working with customers.
You’ll handle ticketing, reservations and any questions customers may have.
As part of the job, you’ll also help customers with their bags. This mainly means helping with checking-in baggage. It also includes helping with baggage claims.
You’ll love this job if you enjoy meeting customers from all over the world. It also helps if you don’t mind being on your feet and moving around a lot. A friendly personality will take you a long way in this job.
Operations Agent
As an Operations Agent, you’ve got a lot of responsibility. You’ll help to make sure that planes are ready to fly. Firstly, this means preparing weather reports and other documentation for the plane’s crew.
You’ll also organize to have the plane fueled. As that happens, you’ll coordinate the movement of passengers on and off the plan. Overall, it’s your job to make sure the planes are safely prepared before it moves.
You’ll do well in this job if you have an eye for detail. It’s also great if you’re a multitasker since you’ll be juggling a few responsibilities at a time.
Most of all, you should be a team player who can work well with other staff.
Baggage Handler
As a Baggage Handler, you’ll be responsible for the passengers’ bags.
This means collecting and transporting luggage to the correct plane. If it’s an incoming plane, that means unloading bags and transporting them into the airport.
In this position, you’ll need to make sure that luggage is always transported safely. This is to avoid causing any damage to those bags. Once on the plane, you’ll help to secure the bags in a way that keeps the aircraft balanced.
For this job, you’ll need to be okay with doing lots of physical work. Being organized also helps since you’ll be handling baggage to and from many planes every day.
Reservation Agent
As a Reservation Agent, you will usually be interacting with customers through email or on the phone. Your main responsibility is to help customers who want to book flights.
However, you may also be helping customers make travel plans surrounding those flights. This could mean making recommendations for hotels and car rentals, especially those that are partners of the airlines.
This is a great role for you if you prefer working in an office or call-center type of environment. Being able to handle customer questions and complaints calmly will also help you go a long way in this position.
Flight Attendant
As a Flight Attendant, you’ll be working in the air and travelling all the time! You’ll be helping passengers as they board and leave planes.
This also means preparing supplies and safety equipment for passengers to use.
While in the air, you’ll be serving passengers and keeping the aircraft clean. Part of your responsibility is also to make sure carry-on baggage is stowed away safely.
This job will be perfect for you if you enjoy travelling around a lot for work. It’s also important that you enjoy creating a positive experience for customers.
Manager Jobs
There are many Manager jobs that you can apply for with Southwest Airlines. For example, you could apply for a Supply Chain Manager or even Corporate Sales Manager position.
As a Supply Chain Manager, you’ll be leading a team of specialists. Your team will be responsible for making sure that the airline always has enough supplies to keep its planes moving. This includes fuel, spare parts and more!
As a Corporate Sales Manager, you’ll lead the Field Sales Team.
Together, your responsibility is to sell the company’s corporate sales programs and services to corporate clients. You’ll also be responsible for hiring the right people for the team, and training them as needed.
How Much Does Southwest Airlines Pay (Hourly & Salary)?
As an example of the pay you could get, a Reservation Agent at this airline can make $11 an hour, 17% below the national average for similar positions. To get a better sense of what you could make at this company, here are a few other examples:
- Customer Service Representative ($35,000 a year)
- Operations Agent ($14 an hour)
- Baggage Handler ($38,000 a year)
- Supply Chain Specialist ($15 an hour)
- Supervisor ($57,000 a year)
- Flight Attendant ($44,000 a year)
- Supply Chain Manager ($15 an hour)
Southwest Airlines offers you a wide range of benefits.
This includes health benefits like medical, vision, dental and others.
Financially, there’s a 401(k) plan, as well as the airline’s profit-sharing and employee stock purchase programs.
According to the benefits listed on their careers website, there is also free travel for you and qualified members of your family if you work here.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Southwest Airlines?
You have to be at least 18 years of age to work at Southwest Airlines. This applies to all jobs across the airline. At this early age, you can apply for entry-level positions like:
- Operations Agent
- Ramp Agent
- Provisioning Agent
Does Southwest Airlines Drug Test?
Yes, in most cases Southwest Airlines does perform drug tests.
Past applicants have shared that they were asked to do a urine test. They have also shared that random drug tests are also conducted even after you’ve started working with them.
Whatever the case may be, it’s always a safe assumption that a drug test will be conducted.
Possible Southwest Airlines Interview Questions & Tips
Here are a few questions they might ask you during your interview:
Why Do You Want To Work At Southwest Airlines?
This is a common question that most recruiters will ask. The reason they ask you this question is so they can know if your motivations are a good match for the company’s values.
A good answer is one where you match one of your strengths with the job that you’re applying for. This is why you should always study their careers website to understand what the company is all about.
What Would You Do If…
This is known as a ‘scenario’ question. Recruiters ask this type of question to see how you think when you’re dealing with a problem.
A good answer is one that involves remaining calm and friendly no matter the situation. This is especially true in jobs where you interact with customers. If you’re not sure of how to solve the problem, you should say that you’ll refer to a more senior staff member for help. This shows that you’re humble enough to ask for help when you need it. It also shows that you’re a team player.
Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years?
Recruiters ask this type of question to see how ambitious you are. The answer you give should be ambitious but also realistic at the same time. Showing them that you’re ambitious also tells them that you have a long-term plan for yourself. Being realistic shows them that you’re aware of the challenges that stand between you and your goals.
Hiring Process
Overall, past applicants have shared that the hiring process at Southwest Airlines is a pleasant one. They find it to be challenging but not too difficult. However, most have said that the process usually takes more than a month.
In most cases, the process starts with a phone call. This is followed by an on-site interview. Sometimes, this interview is done in groups.
No matter what position you’re applying for, it’s always important to look your best. So be sure to dress in a business casual outfit at a minimum.
Does Southwest Airlines Do Background Checks?
Yes, Southwest Airlines does background checks. The background check may take time and add to the overall time taken for the hiring process.
There is no clear indication so far as to if or how they hire applicants with criminal records.
Does Southwest Airlines Have Work From Home Jobs?
No, Southwest Airlines does not have work from home jobs.