Who can apply?
- Applicants must be full-time students, as their university defines it, at the time of application, with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and progress toward a degree, major or minor relevant to the internship.
- For summer 2027 Southwest requires a Fall 2027 graduation date or later. An undergraduate graduation date before the internship starts disqualifies an applicant unless they are already enrolled in a full-time graduate program when they apply, and Southwest asks applicants to give their latest possible graduation date.
- Southwest's example: a May 2027 graduate is not eligible for summer 2027, but someone completing a bachelor's in May 2027 and a master's in May 2028 is.
- Most internships are in person at the Dallas corporate campus; Technology internships are fully virtual. Southwest lists states and localities where employees cannot regularly work offsite, including California, New York and Illinois, so a virtual role still depends on where you would work from.
The summer 2027 window is only one week, October 1–7, 2026, and the internship dates are fixed at May 18 to August 8, 2027. A student who cannot start and finish on those dates, or who graduates before Fall 2027, does not qualify.
Dates, pay & program timing
Southwest published Summer 2027 application dates of October 1 to October 7, 2026, with internships running May 18 to August 8, 2027 at 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. That published application window has ended; check individual postings for any later availability. A separate Spring 2027 program, for the Technology department only, took applications September 1–7, 2026 for January 26 to April 23, 2027. Southwest says start and end dates are not flexible and that dates may change with business needs. A stipend of up to $2,000 may be offered, paid in one installment on the first paycheck.
These details reflect the sources at the review date. An overview is not a live job offer. Check the official page for today's application status and the selected opening's written terms.
How to apply to Southwest Airlines
- The published October 1–7, 2026 application window has ended. Check the official Campus Reach search for any role that remains available, and use the published requirements below to prepare for a future cycle without assuming its dates will repeat.
- Before applying to a current posting, confirm the hard rules it states. The Summer 2027 cycle required full-time enrollment, a 2.5 cumulative GPA, a Fall 2027 or later graduation date, and the fixed May 18 to August 8, 2027 dates.
- If you applied during the window, watch your email for a phone screen or one-way interview and then a virtual panel interview with a hiring manager and recruiter.
You leave FirstInternships to apply. We do not accept applications, offer referrals, or represent the employer.
Our editorial advice · not employer requirements
How to prepare a stronger application
Southwest suggests emphasizing student leadership, past work or internships, customer service and project management, and tailoring your resume with relevant coursework, certifications and volunteer work. Pick one example for each and say what you personally did.
For a one-way interview, prepare two short stories in advance: one about serving a customer or teammate well under pressure, and one about a project you organized. Southwest says it looks for students who are eager to learn and ready to take initiative.
Your preparation, on this device
Make it a plan.
Checking an item saves this program. These are planning prompts, not a substitute for the employer's full requirements.
Add a stage & next actionSouthwest Airlines: questions before applying
When was the Southwest summer 2027 internship deadline?
Southwest's published Summer 2027 Campus Reach window ran from October 1 through Wednesday, October 7, 2026. That window has ended; check the official search for any role that remains available.
Are Southwest internships paid?
Yes. Pay depends on the internship, a stipend of up to $2,000 may be offered based on eligibility and program criteria, and interns are eligible for free, unlimited space-available travel wherever Southwest flies. Southwest says pay rates, stipends and perks are not negotiable.
Can a senior graduating in May 2027 apply?
Not for summer 2027. Southwest requires a Fall 2027 graduation date or later and gives this example: a May 2027 graduate is not eligible, but someone finishing a bachelor's in May 2027 and a master's in May 2028 is.
Does Southwest provide housing?
No. Relocation is the intern's responsibility. Southwest pays a relocation housing stipend to interns who meet its criteria, on the first paycheck, and after selection shares short-term housing suggestions and connects interns looking for roommates.
What happens after I apply?
Southwest reviews applications after the window closes. Next steps can include a phone screen or one-way interview, then a virtual panel interview with a hiring manager and recruiter. Some applicants hear within a couple of weeks; others wait one to two months.
Can I apply to more than one Southwest internship?
Yes, to any you are qualified for, though Southwest recommends applying only to roles that relate to your coursework and experience. It also says return offers are not guaranteed.
Official sources & update notes
We reviewed these publisher pages on . They establish the program facts above; our preparation suggestions are independent editorial guidance.
- Southwest Campus Reach: 2027 dates, eligibility, pay, stipend, travel, workplace rules and FAQs
- Southwest Campus Reach internship search
We do not infer deadlines, remote eligibility, or guaranteed offers from older recruiting cycles. Read our editorial process.