Qatar Airways vs Southwest Airlines:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, Southwest Airlines had more branded searches than Qatar Airways among airline brands worldwide. Southwest Airlines had about 4.1 million branded searches, while Qatar Airways had 3.4 million. Southwest Airlines made up 12.9% of all airline brand searches we track, and Qatar Airways accounted for 10.5%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Is Qatar Airways or Southwest Airlines more popular in search?
Compare the airline brands travellers use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of searches by month for Southwest Airlines, Qatar Airways. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | United Airlines | British Airways | Emirates | Southwest Airlines | Delta Air Lines | Qatar Airways | Singapore Airlines | Cathay Pacific | Qantas | Air New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 17.9% | 12% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 9.8% | 12% | 6.5% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 2% |
| Nov 2025 | 19.1% | 10.4% | 15.6% | 12.7% | 10.4% | 12.7% | 7% | 4.7% | 5.7% | 1.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 20.1% | 11% | 13.4% | 13.4% | 11% | 13.4% | 6% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1.8% |
| Jan 2026 | 16.4% | 13.4% | 13.4% | 13.4% | 11% | 13.4% | 7.3% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 18.1% | 12.1% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 9.9% | 12.1% | 6.6% | 4.4% | 5.4% | 1.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 16.2% | 10.8% | 19.7% | 10.8% | 8.8% | 16.2% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 4% | 1.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 18.8% | 12.6% | 15.4% | 12.6% | 10.3% | 12.6% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 18.8% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 15.4% | 12.6% | 10.3% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 1.7% |
| Jun 2026 | 18.8% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 15.4% | 10.3% | 12.6% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 1.7% |
| Jul 2026 | 18.4% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 15% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 6.7% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 18.6% | 12.4% | 12.4% | 15.2% | 12.4% | 10.2% | 6.8% | 4.6% | 5.6% | 1.7% |
| Sep 2026 | 19.3% | 15.7% | 12.9% | 12.9% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1.7% |
How has the Qatar Airways and Southwest Airlines comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Qatar Airways took it in March 2026, Southwest Airlines took it in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Qatar Airways’ share of searches among airline brands worldwide moved from 12% to 10.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 4.1M to 3.4M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Southwest Airlines’ share of searches among airline brands worldwide moved from 14.6% to 12.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5M to 4.1M.
How did search popularity change for airline brands worldwide in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, British Airways overtook Southwest Airlines to rank 2nd among airline brands worldwide, with 15.7% of the searches.
In September 2026, Southwest Airlines lost share of searches among airline brands worldwide, from 15.2% to 12.9%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Qatar Airways worldwide fell 18.1% over 12 measured months, from 4.1M to 3.4M in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Qatar Airways’ and Southwest Airlines’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Qatar Airways
1 branded search term
- qatar airways
Southwest Airlines
1 branded search term
- southwest airlines
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