Southwest is an airline company that allows you to book flights with them, search for hotels, car rentals, and vacation spots. They also offer rewards for flying with them.
Personal data collected
Southwest collects some personal information that you provide to them, such as name, email address, zip code, billing address, mobile number, payment information, social media account information, travel preferences, birth date, redress number, and demographic information. If applicable you may need to provide your current and future health status and genetic information for accessibility, such as needing help boarding the plane, providing you with a wheelchair, and more. This information is collected when you use their service, book travel, register for their service or set up an account with them, subscribe to their emails, mobile messages or social media notifications, post on their forum or blogs, participate in a sweepstakes, contest, promotion, survey, or poll, pay for services, and request customer support.
Southwest collects some of your information automatically such as demographic information, IP address; browser, device, and hardware type; operating system information, data on how you use their services, whether you are using a computer or mobile device; unique device identifiers, type, model, version; MAC address, device or session ID, error data, performance data, and connection type. They gather this type of information through the use of log data or cookies and other tracking technologies.
Personal data usage
Southwest uses data to:
- Improve their services and your online experience.
- Understand what features and areas of their services are popular.
- Count visits to their website.
- Understand their marketing campaign effectiveness.
- Tailor their communications with you.
- See whether an email has been opened and if any links were clicked.
- Personalize your experience with them.
- Process your registration.
- Manage payments.
- Respond to questions, comments, requests, and provide customer service.
- Send you technical and administrative messages.
- Prevent fraud and abuse.
- Provide relevant advertising.
Cookies and similar tech
Southwest uses cookies, web beacons, embedded scripts, location-identifying technologies, in-app tracking methods, and other similar technologies to track your movements on their website or app. Information collected through these technologies includes information about your browsing and purchasing behavior, to track user preferences or web page visits while on their website, and to use GPS to verify your location. If you decide to disable the use of cookies in your browser, their website may not function properly. They do not respond to Do Not Track signals.
Southwest account
With a Southwest account, you can purchase a plane ticket for a flight, book a hotel, find travel destinations, and more. They do not allow children under the age of 13 to sign up for their services. If you know a child that has signed up, contact Southwest so they can remove the child’s personal information.
Data shared with Southwest
How to protect your privacy
You can protect your privacy on Southwest by:
- Opting out of interest based ads by going to the Digital Advertising Alliance on your computer or through your mobile phone.
- Opting out of targeted ads by going to the Network Advertising Initiative.
- Opting out of Southwest’s persistent cookies.
- Disabling cookies.
- Opting out of promotional emails.
How to contact Southwest about your privacy
You can contact Southwest via phone at 1-800-435-9792, online, or through postal mail at:
Southwest Airlines
P.O. Box 36647-1CR
Dallas, Texas 75235
USA