Southwest Airlines $18.5M Military Leave Settlement, How to Claim Your Average $4,421 Before April 28, 2026

If you’re a current or former Southwest Airlines employee who took short-term military leave at any point since 2004, you may be owed an average of $4,421 from a landmark class action settlement — and the claim deadline is April 28, 2026.

What Is the Southwest Airlines $18.5M Military Leave Settlement?

Southwest Airlines agreed to pay $18.5 million and provide unprecedented paid military leave benefits for at least five years to resolve a class action lawsuit brought by pilots and other workers who accused the airline of violating their rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

First filed in 2019, the lawsuit challenged Southwest’s refusal to pay short-term military leave — for example, for National Guard service or reservist deployment — despite providing paid leave for jury duty, bereavement, and sick leave. USERRA requires employers to treat military leave at least as favorably as other comparable forms of leave.

Southwest denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid the cost and risk of continued litigation.

Who Qualifies?

The Southwest Airlines $18.5M military leave settlement covers all current and former employees of Southwest who, at any time from October 10, 2004 through January 1, 2026, took short-term military leave lasting 14 days or fewer and were subject to a collective bargaining agreement. Excluded from the settlement are employees subject to the agreement between Southwest Airlines and Transport Workers Union Local 550 covering meteorologists.

According to the class certification order, approximately 6,733 people are covered by the settlement.

In simple terms, you qualify if you:

✅ Are a current or former Southwest Airlines employee ✅ Took military leave of 14 days or fewer between October 10, 2004 and January 1, 2026 ✅ Were covered by a collective bargaining agreement at the time

How Much Will You Receive?

Remaining class members will receive individual payments based on their rate of pay and qualifying military leave taken, with awards averaging about $4,400 after legal fees.

The proposed deal would provide 2,791 class members with an average net value of more than $4,400 and represents between 26% and 74.2% of the case’s estimated damages.

Your individual payment is calculated based on how much military leave you took and what your pay rate was at the time — so longer or more frequent leave means a higher individual payout.

Official Settlement Website and How to File

🌐 Official Settlement Website: SWAUSERRAsettlement.com

📅 Claim Deadline: April 28, 2026

Settlement class members do not need to do anything to receive compensation if they received a settlement notice that stated the estimated amount they are set to receive. All Southwest Airlines military leave settlement claim forms must be submitted online or by mail by April 28, 2026.

If you did not receive a notice or need to update your information, visit SWAUSERRAsettlement.com directly to file or check your status.

Key Dates

What Else Did Southwest Agree To?

Beyond the $18.5 million cash payout, Southwest agreed to provide an annual enrollment of paid military leave to current employees across a five-year period. Each employee will receive up to 10 days of differential pay for military leave each calendar year that they are employed, calculated based on the difference between their daily rate of pay at Southwest at the start of each year and the military pay for two drills based on their rank and years of service. Each eligible employee will receive at least an additional $30 per leave day as a result of the differential pay.

No other major U.S. airline has matched this benefit to date.

Is This the Only Southwest Military Leave Settlement?

No. An initial settlement agreement was reached in February 2025 for Southwest pilots specifically, while this $18.5 million agreement covers non-pilot employees. If you are a pilot, your settlement was handled separately under the earlier agreement.

Related article: Long Island Plastic Surgical Group $2.6M Data Breach Settlement, Patients Can Claim Up to $5,000 Before May 18, 2026

What Is USERRA and Why Does It Matter?

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) is a federal law that protects the civilian employment rights of service members when they serve in the uniformed services. In its defense, Southwest argued that military leave is not equivalent to other types of leave such as sick or jury duty leave. Courts have increasingly rejected that argument.

Recent decisions from the Third, Seventh, and Ninth Circuits — in cases involving American Airlines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines — have rejected arguments that short-term military leave can be treated differently simply because it occurs more often or is operationally inconvenient. This settlement is part of a broader legal shift forcing airlines and employers nationwide to revisit their military leave policies.

Don’t Miss the April 28, 2026 Deadline

If you took short-term military leave from Southwest between 2004 and 2026 and were under a collective bargaining agreement, your average payout is $4,421 — but only if you file before the deadline.

Visit SWAUSERRAsettlement.com to file your claim or confirm your status. If you were automatically included based on Southwest’s records, check your mail for a notice with your estimated payment amount.

For more open employment class action settlements with current deadlines, read our guide to AT&T $177M Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit Settlement, Payments, Eligibility & Status at allaboutlawyer.com.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always refer to the official settlement website SWAUSERRAsettlement.com for the most current information.

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
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