WN Airline Code, Southwest Airlines
WN is the IATA airline code for Southwest Airlines, based in the United States. Its ICAO code is SWA and its radio callsign is "Southwest".
What airline is WN?
WN is the IATA airline code for Southwest Airlines, based in the United States. Its ICAO code is SWA and its radio callsign is "Southwest".
With 1,146 scheduled routes in the open dataset, it is one of the most connected carriers in the world, ranked number 9 by routes. You will see WN as the two-character prefix on its flight numbers, for example WN123.
| IATA airline code | WN |
|---|---|
| ICAO airline code | SWA |
| Radio callsign | Southwest |
| Country | United States |
| Alliance | None (unaligned) |
| Scheduled routes | 1,146 (ranked #9) |
| Most routes at | DEN Denver |
| Status | Active |
What is the airline code for Southwest Airlines?
The IATA airline code for Southwest Airlines is WN, and its ICAO code is SWA. The two-character IATA code prefixes the carrier's flight numbers, for example WN123.
IATA airline codes are two characters and can reuse letters over time, so a retired airline's code may later be assigned to another carrier. ICAO codes are three letters and are more stable, which is why flight plans use them.
Where the WN code comes from
WN is the classic example of a code that does not match the name. When Southwest needed a two-letter identifier, SW was not available, and the airline ended up with WN, an assignment usually described as simply the next workable pair. Crews and enthusiasts have retrofitted readings like "WiNgs" onto it, but the honest answer is that WN means Southwest because the registry says so.
Southwest is the world's largest low-cost carrier and the largest operator of the Boeing 737 family, with a fleet in the high 700s to low 800s as of the mid-2020s.
More on how these identifiers work in what an IATA code is and airline callsigns.
What are Southwest Airlines's hub airports?
Southwest Airlines (WN) concentrates its network on DAL (Dallas), MDW (Chicago), DEN (Denver), LAS (Las Vegas), PHX (Phoenix), HOU (Houston), BWI (Baltimore).
Which airport does Southwest Airlines serve most?
Southwest Airlines (WN) appears on more routes at DEN, Denver, than at any other airport in the open route dataset.
The airports Southwest Airlines appears at most often in that dataset, most routes first:
Routes flown by Southwest Airlines
The busiest pairs Southwest Airlines (WN) is listed as operating in the open route dataset (codeshare-only listings excluded), with distance and typical flight time:
Route and carrier data comes from the OpenFlights open dataset, regenerated here on . It is a historical snapshot of scheduled connections, not a live schedule, and it includes codeshare listings, so some carriers shown may no longer operate the route or exist. How we build this · Data and sources.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ICAO code for Southwest Airlines?
Southwest Airlines uses the ICAO airline code SWA and the radio callsign "Southwest". Flight plans and air traffic control use SWA, while tickets and schedules use WN.
What is the radio callsign for Southwest Airlines?
Air traffic control refers to Southwest Airlines by the radio callsign "Southwest".
What country is Southwest Airlines based in?
Southwest Airlines (WN) is based in the United States.
What is the abbreviation for Southwest Airlines?
The two-character IATA abbreviation for Southwest Airlines is WN, and its three-letter ICAO code is SWA.
How many routes does Southwest Airlines fly?
The open route dataset lists 1,146 route entries for Southwest Airlines, codeshare listings included, which ranks the carrier number 9 by that count. The route table below shows only the pairs Southwest Airlines is listed as operating.
Is Southwest Airlines in an airline alliance?
Southwest Airlines (WN) is not a member of Star Alliance, oneworld or SkyTeam. It relies on its own network and bilateral partnerships instead.
Why is Southwest's code WN and not SW?
The two-letter combination SW was not available when Southwest Airlines needed an IATA identifier, so the airline was assigned WN. IATA codes are unique identifiers, not abbreviations, so a carrier takes the nearest free pair when its initials are already in use.