Southwest was one of the first airlines to offer consumers a website, an online booking tool, and access to coupons and discounts directly from the airline. When Southwest Airlines first launched, it had implemented a love-themed marketing campaign, which then became the origin of its LUV ticker symbol.

Southwest Airlines is famously known as the "Love Airline" due to its deep historical roots at Love Field Airport in Dallas, where the airline first took flight in 1971. The "LUV" theme was adopted as a core part of its brand identity to set the upstart carrier apart from the stiff, formal airlines of the era. This wasn't just a marketing gimmick; Southwest’s first stock ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange was LUV, and its early advertising campaigns were heavily saturated with the word. In the 1970s, flight attendants even wore "hot pants" and "go-go boots" to lean into a playful, "lovable" persona. Over the decades, the "heart" logo became a permanent fixture on the tail of their aircraft and in their corporate culture. Today, the "Love" theme represents the airline's commitment to "Heart" and hospitality, reflected in their unique policies like "Bags Fly Free" and their reputation for friendly, irreverent service that prioritizes the passenger's emotional experience as much as the logistics of travel.