Is AirTran Airways a subsidiary of Southwest Airlines?

It was, from the May 2, 2011 acquisition until the December 28, 2014 final flight. Today AirTran is a retired brand fully absorbed into Southwest Airlines Co. operations, not an active subsidiary.

Is AirTran Airways publicly traded?

No, and it no longer exists as an operating company. Before the acquisition, AirTran Holdings traded on the NYSE under ticker AAI. Its acquirer, Southwest Airlines Co., trades under LUV.

When was AirTran Airways founded?

The airline was founded as ValuJet in Atlanta in 1992 and began flying in October 1993. It became AirTran Airways in 1997 after merging with Orlando-based AirTran Corporation following the Flight 592 disaster.

Who founded AirTran Airways?

ValuJet was founded by a group of former Eastern Air Lines executives, with Lewis Jordan as the founding CEO. The AirTran identity came from the 1997 combination with AirTran Corporation of Orlando.

What happened to AirTran Airways?

Southwest Airlines acquired AirTran in 2011 for approximately $1.4 billion. Over three and a half years Southwest repainted the fleet, converted stations, and merged workforces. AirTran operated its last flight on December 28, 2014 and the brand was retired.

Does AirTran still exist as a brand?

No. The name was retired when integration completed in December 2014. Its aircraft, routes, gates, and most of its approximately 8,000 employees were absorbed into Southwest Airlines.

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Who Owns AirTran Airways?

AirTran Airways was an American low-cost airline acquired by Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) in 2011 for approximately $1.4 billion. Founded as ValuJet in 1992 and rebranded AirTran in 1997, the Orlando-based carrier operated until December 28, 2014, when its final flight landed and the brand was retired into Southwest's operations.

Parent Company

Southwest Airlines

Acquired

2011

Status

Publicly Traded

Headquarters

Orlando, Florida, USA

AirTran Airways Timeline

1967

Southwest Airlines

Parent company established in Dallas, Texas, USA

Company Founded

1992

AirTran Airways

Founded by ValuJet Airlines (founding organization)

Founded

2011

Acquired by Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines acquired AirTran Airways

Acquired

United StatesOfficial Website

Who Owns AirTran Airways?

Parent Company: Southwest Airlines
Ownership Type: Subsidiary
Acquisition Year: 2011
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock Ticker: New York Stock Exchange: LUV

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
AirTran Airways	Southwest Airlines	Subsidiary

History of AirTran Airways

Founded: 1992
Founders: ValuJet Airlines (founding organization)
Acquired by Southwest Airlines: 2011

The airline began as ValuJet Airlines, founded in Atlanta in 1992 by a group of former Eastern Air Lines executives including Lewis Jordan. ValuJet started flying in October 1993 with an aggressive low-fare model on short East Coast routes and grew faster than almost any startup carrier in history, posting profits in its first quarter and reaching over fifty destinations within a few years.

The growth outran the airline's safety and maintenance infrastructure. On May 11, 1996, ValuJet Flight 592 crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 people aboard. The cause was oxygen generators improperly loaded in the cargo hold, a maintenance chain failure that exposed serious regulatory and operational lapses. The FAA grounded the airline in June 1996 for three months.

To escape the wrecked brand, ValuJet merged in 1997 with AirTran Corporation, a small Orlando-based operator, and adopted the AirTran Airways name. Under CEO Joe Leonard, the airline rebuilt around Atlanta as a low-cost hub competitor to Delta, operating Boeing 717s and 737s with business class seating, assigned seats, and XM radio, a slightly more premium product than Southwest's.

By 2010, AirTran was profitable but strategically cornered, squeezed between Southwest's domestic scale and Delta's Atlanta fortress hub. Southwest's acquisition gave AirTran's shareholders liquidity and gave Southwest something it could not easily build: Atlanta slots and gates, plus AirTran's Caribbean and Mexico routes.

Integration ran from 2011 through 2014. Southwest repainted or returned AirTran's 88 Boeing 737s, subleased the 717 fleet to Delta, converted AirTran stations to Southwest branding, and folded roughly 8,000 AirTran employees into its workforce. The final AirTran flight, Flight 1 from Atlanta to Tampa on December 28, 2014, retraced ValuJet's original first route.

About Southwest Airlines

What does Southwest Airlines own?
Southwest Airlines owns a portfolio of aviation brands including Southwest Airlines (core passenger airline service), Southwest Cargo (air cargo and logistics), and Southwest Vacations (vacation packages and travel services). The company previously owned AirTran Airways, which it acquired in 2011 for approximately $1.4 billion and fully integrated by 2014. Southwest operates a fleet of over 800 Boeing 737 aircraft.

Is Southwest Airlines publicly traded?
Yes. Southwest Airlines is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker LUV. The company has been publicly traded since its IPO in 1977 and is owned by its shareholders, with no single controlling shareholder. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group and BlackRock.

Who founded Southwest Airlines?
Southwest Airlines was founded in 1967 by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher. King, a San Antonio businessman, conceived the idea for a low-cost intrastate airline serving Texas. Kelleher, an attorney, provided the legal and strategic leadership that guided the company through years of legal challenges before its first flight in 1971. Kelleher served as CEO from 1982 to 2001 and remained Chairman until 2008.

Where is Southwest Airlines headquartered?
Southwest Airlines is headquartered at Dallas Love Field in Dallas, Texas, USA. The company has maintained its headquarters at Love Field since its founding and operates its primary hub from this location. Major operational bases include Chicago Midway, Baltimore/Washington, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, and Houston Hobby.

What is Southwest Airlines' revenue?
Southwest Airlines reported full-year 2025 operating revenues of $28.1 billion and net income of $441 million, or $0.73 per diluted share. Fourth quarter 2025 operating revenues were $6.9 billion. The company generated record full-year 2025 operating cash flow of $3.2 billion and returned $597 million to shareholders through share repurchases.

What changes is Southwest making in 2026?
Southwest is implementing the most significant changes in its history in 2026. Assigned seating replaced the airline's long-standing open seating policy for travel starting January 27, 2026. The airline introduced extra legroom seats as a premium product. New fare bundles, including a basic economy fare, were created to compete with ultra-low-cost carriers. Red-eye flights were added to expand aircraft utilization. These changes are part of a business transformation expected to generate $1.5 to $2.0 billion in incremental annual EBITDA by 2027.

Who leads Southwest Airlines?
Bob Jordan serves as President and CEO of Southwest Airlines, having assumed the role in February 2022. Jordan has been with Southwest since 1989 and previously served as Executive Vice President of Corporate Services and as President of AirTran Airways. He replaced Gary Kelly, who moved to Executive Chairman before announcing his departure under pressure from activist investor Elliott Investment Management.

Founded: 1967
Headquarters: Dallas, Texas, USA
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock: New York Stock Exchange: LUV
Revenue: $28.1 billion (FY2025)
Employees: approximately 73,077

Visit Southwest Airlines website

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Where Is AirTran Airways Made / Based?

Headquarters: Orlando, Florida, USA

AirTran Airways Categories & Tags

Airline Low Cost Carrier Defunct Airline Southwest Airlines Airtran

AirTran Airways Recalls & Controversies

ValuJet Flight 592 (1996): The crash of Flight 592 into the Florida Everglades on May 11, 1996 killed 110 people and remains among the most consequential US aviation disasters. NTSB investigators traced the fire to oxygen generators loaded as cargo without required safety caps. The FAA grounded the airline for three months, and the disaster directly caused the 1997 rebranding from ValuJet to AirTran.

Labor Integration Disputes (2011-2014): Merging AirTran's largely non-union or separately unionized workforce into Southwest's seniority systems produced friction, particularly among pilots and flight attendants. The disputes were resolved through negotiated seniority integration agreements during the integration period.

AirTran Airways Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Acquisition delivered Atlanta, the world's busiest airport, to Southwest
+Added international route authorities in Mexico and the Caribbean
+Eliminated Southwest's most direct low-cost competitor
+Fleet and crew integration expanded network capacity

Considerations

-Brand was retired, so it carries no ongoing equity or revenue
-Integration cost several hundred million dollars
-Boeing 717 fleet was subleased to Delta rather than retained
-ValuJet safety history permanently marked the brand's early years

Frequently Asked Questions About AirTran Airways

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to AirTran Airways

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
WestJet	Onex Corporation	Canada	1996	Mid range	Regional	All Genders
Southwest AirlinesSister Brand	Southwest Airlines	USA	1967	Mass market	United states	All Genders