Southwest Airlines executives said their analysis of 2023 ARC data was a good proxy for the managed corporate market and the airline’s success therein relative to rivals.

Southwest’s first full year of virtually full participation in the major GDSs was 2022. Before that, much of its corporate business came through non-GDS channels, including direct connections to some corporate booking tools and TMCs, and the Swabiz portal. Full GDS distribution was a significant reason for the shift in ARC numbers. Southwest execs also cited a maturing corporate sales effort.

Southwest uses ARC’s Area Settlement Plan (ASP) data, the clearinghouse’s primary ticket database, encompassing “all tickets sold via approximately 10,000 U.S. travel agency locations on 230+ airlines, including domestic and international trips in all major GDSs,” according to ARC info.

Measured by passengers, Southwest’s dataset excluded bookings through direct connections and supplier-direct channels.

The Company Dime has chronicled Southwest Airlines‘ growing presence in the corporate market.