Indeed, according to the company's filings, Southwest devoted 33.2% of its operating costs to "salaries, wages, and benefits" last year -- a number that grew nearly 8% in comparison to 2013 compensation. That compares to American's labor costs of "approximately 25% of our operating expenses," and Delta's devotion of 24.1% of its operating expenditures to "salaries and related costs" and "profit sharing" in 2014.*