The October average loads beat Southwest's previous best of 72.2 percent, set in 1996. The 2009 figure was 8.8 points higher than the 70.4 percent load factor of October 2008.
The jump in loads were the result of more traffic and fewer seats offered compared to the same month last year.
The Dallas-based carrier reported that its traffic increased 1.9 percent last month compared to October 2008, with a 9.4 percent decline in capacity.
Southwest said its unit revenues, or revenues per available seat mile, increased about 1 percent in October compared to a year earlier. By comparison, Continental Airlines Inc. estimated Monday that its unit revenues was down 15 to 16 percent last month, and US Airways Inc. said it expects its October unit revenues fell 9 percent.
On Wednesday, American Airlines Inc. said its load factor climbed 4 percentage points to 83.1 percent in October, with traffic down 2.6 percent and capacity off 7.3 percent from a year earlier.
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