An MIT study released in August 2013 found newer, smaller airlines were having a greater impact on lowering the average price of a ticket where they fly. According to an MIT International Center for Air Transportation analysis of ticket statistics, between 2007 and 2012, Southwest's ability to lower fares had weakened from $36 per one-way fare to only $17 per one-way fare.
The MIT study found a correlation between the emergence of smaller airlines and lower airfares. The analysis showed that Southwest's impact on fare reduction weakened over time, specifically from 2007 to 2012.