Southwest has had nine accidents, including two aircraft hull losses and four deaths: one accidental passenger death in flight, two non-passenger deaths on the ground, and one passenger death from injuries he sustained when subdued by other passengers while attempting to break into the cockpit of an aircraft.

Southwest Airlines is widely recognized as one of the safest airlines in the world, having never had a fatal crash caused by an inflight "accident" in its history. However, there have been three notable incidents involving fatalities. The first occurred in 2005 (Flight 1248) when a plane overran a snowy runway at Chicago Midway, sliding into a street and killing a child in a car. The second was in 2018 (Flight 1380) when an engine fan blade broke, shattering a window and resulting in the partial ejection and death of a passenger. In 2020, a person was struck and killed by a Southwest plane while trespassing on a runway in Austin. Aside from these tragic anomalies, the airline has maintained an exceptional safety record over millions of flights. In early 2026, the airline continues to lead in domestic safety protocols, with its massive fleet of Boeing 737s undergoing rigorous maintenance to ensure this standard remains intact.