Will Southwest be back to normal on Friday?

Southwest Airlines says it's set up to resume normal schedules on Friday after a tumultuous eight days that left hundreds of thousands of passengers delayed or stranded and prompted its executives to make apologies to the riding public and government officials.



As of Thursday, March 5, 2026, Southwest Airlines is facing moderate operational pressure due to the ongoing impacts of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, but it is expected to maintain near-normal flight schedules for Friday. While the airline recorded nearly 400 delays earlier this week, these were primarily driven by staffing shortages at TSA checkpoints and weather ripple effects, rather than a systemic failure of the airline's own software. For Friday, March 6, Southwest is currently showing a "Green" operational status, with fewer than 2% of flights at risk of cancellation. However, "normal" is relative in 2026; because 61,000 TSA agents are receiving reduced paychecks due to the federal funding lapse, security lines are significantly longer than usual. Passengers flying Southwest this Friday should arrive at least three hours early for domestic flights to account for slower screening, even if the airline's aircraft and crews are positioned and ready for on-time departures.

People Also Ask

Southwest Airlines lost $159 million in the first quarter as the financial impact of its holiday meltdown stretched well into 2023. The carrier had canceled more than 16,000 flights in the final days of December. It expects revenue headwinds into the second quarter but forecast a profit.

MORE DETAILS

Staffing shortages But it's not just a pilot shortage that can cause a cancellation. Flight crew calling in sick, not enough maintenance staff, strikes, and even staff being declared unfit to fly because of health reasons or substance abuse can cause your flight to be canceled.

MORE DETAILS

American Airlines and its partners – 2.81% of flights canceled. Frontier Airlines – 2.87% of flights canceled. Spirit Airlines – 3% of flights canceled. Southwest Airlines – 3.26% of flights canceled.

MORE DETAILS

Southwest Airlines has 33.85% upside potential, based on the analysts' average price target. Southwest Airlines has a conensus rating of Hold which is based on 5 buy ratings, 10 hold ratings and 2 sell ratings. The average price target for Southwest Airlines is $32.62.

MORE DETAILS

Southwest has often experienced more cancellations than other major carriers. Major carriers as defined by US Bureau of Transportation Statistics; 2020 cancellations elevated because of the Covid-19 pandemic; Data for each year represent January to September, the most recent month available for 2022.

MORE DETAILS

Most major airlines canceled or delayed flights, but Southwest Airlines canceled at least 70% of its flights Monday -- more than 2,600 -- due to a reported system meltdown. The chaos continued Tuesday, with the airline canceling 62% of flights for the day and canceling 62% of flights on Wednesday.

MORE DETAILS

Strong Balance sheet: Southwest's total debt and operating lease liabilities stood at $9.3 billion as of June 30, 2023, down from a peak of $13.3 billion during the pandemic. Total debt remains well below Southwest's total cash and short-term investments of $12.2 billion.

MORE DETAILS

Southwest Airlines' financial metrics Southwest Airlines brings in more operating revenue than it pays in operating expenses, an indication of the financial stability for the company. The airline held. Southwest Airlines is one of the top ten largest airlines in the North America, in terms of operating revenue in 2022.

MORE DETAILS

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES RECOGNIZED ON FORBES' 2023 CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE ALL-STARS LIST.

MORE DETAILS

That said, only one out of every 100 flights gets canceled, on average, according to the Department of Transportation.

MORE DETAILS

Am I Entitled to a Refund? In the following situations, consumers are entitled to a refund of the ticket price and/or associated fees. Cancelled Flight – A consumer is entitled to a refund if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel.

MORE DETAILS