Southwest Airlines Reduces Staff by 15% at Dallas Headquarters as Part of Cost-Cutting Strategy

Southwest Airlines announced on Monday that it will be laying off 15% of its corporate workforce, impacting over 1,700 employees, at it’s Dallas Love Field HQ.

Affected employees will continue to receive their salaries and benefits until April, along with severance pay and assistance in securing new jobs. CEO Robert Jordan described the layoffs as an “extremely difficult decision.” The airline cited cost reduction and enhanced efficiency as key reasons for the layoffs.

As a result of these cuts, the company anticipates saving around $210 million for the remainder of 2025 and approximately $300 million in 2026.

Consequently, the Southwest President and CEO Robert Jordan issued a statement regarding the layoffs at the Dallas based airline.

“This is a very difficult and monumental shift, and I arrived at this decision after careful and thorough reflection, knowing how hard it will be to say goodbye to Cohearts who have been a significant part of our Culture and our accomplishments,” Jordan said. “We are building a leaner organization with increased clarity regarding what is most important, quicker decision making, and a focus on getting the right things done with urgency—not unlike our entrepreneurial founding spirit of the 1970s.”