Southwest Airlines Co
Southwest Airlines's GHG Emissions Data Preview
In 2023, Southwest Airlines completed a corporate carbon footprint assessment and publicly disclosed its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions according to the GHG Protocol, covering Scope 1 (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased energy) and Scope 3 (indirect emissions across the value chain).
Southwest Airlines has also provided a category-level breakdown for 5 out of 15 Scope 3 emissions categories, offering greater transparency into its value chain emissions.
| Metric (tCO2e) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 - 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Scope 1 | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | 0000000 |
Total Scope 2 | ||||
Market-Based | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  | 0000000 |
Location-Based | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | 0000000 |
Total Scope 3 | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | 0000000 |
Total Scope 1 Revenue Intensity (tCO2e/$M) | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | Copy restricted. Please purchase to unlock this data.  a | 0000000 |
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aVerified Sources Behind Southwest Airlines’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Data
Every figure on this dashboard has a transparent audit trail. With Tracenable, each data point is traceable back to its original source, viewable directly inside our platform. Explore Southwest Airlines’s data sources below and access millions more through our Disclosure Search.
Insights into Southwest Airlines's Operational Emissions
In 2023, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Southwest Airlines amounted to 20,705,925 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. This figure includes both direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2). a
Compared to 2022, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Southwest Airlines increased by 11.58%, suggesting that the company faced challenges in reducing its emissions from its core operations. a
Southwest Airlines's Scope 1 Emissions Over Time
- Total Scope 1
- Year-over-Year Change
What are Southwest Airlines's Scope 1 emissions?
In 2023, the total Scope 1 emissions of Southwest Airlines were 20,670,103 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e). a
Has Southwest Airlines reduced its Scope 1 emissions over time?
Since 2018, Southwest Airlines's Scope 1 emissions have remained relatively, stable, indicating that Southwest Airlines's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its operational footprint. a b
Compared to the previous year (2022), Southwest Airlines's Scope 1 emissions increased by 11.6%, suggesting that the company faced challenges in reducing emissions from its directly owned or controlled operations. a
What are Southwest Airlines's Scope 2 emissions?
In 2023, Southwest Airlines reported Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 21,256 tCO₂e using the market-based method and 35,822 tCO₂e using the location-based method. a
Has Southwest Airlines reduced its Scope 2 emissions over time?
Since 2018, Southwest Airlines's Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions ( Location-Based) have decreased by 23.74%, reflecting a declining long-term trend in Scope 2 emissions over time. a b
Compared to the previous year (2022), Southwest Airlines's Scope 2 emissions (Location-Based) have remained relatively stable, indicating that Southwest Airlines 's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its energy consumption footprint. a
What methodology does Southwest Airlines use for Scope 2 reporting?
In 2023, Southwest Airlines reported its Scope 2 emissions using the market-based method and using the location-based method. a
Southwest Airlines's Scope 2 Emissions Over Time
- Total Scope 2 Location-Based
- Total Scope 2 Market-Based
Insights into Southwest Airlines's Value Chain Emissions
In 2023, Southwest Airlines reported 6,389,646 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing indirect emissions across its upstream and downstream value chain. a
The 2023 disclosure of Southwest Airlines includes a breakdown across 5 of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol, matching the level of disclosure in 2022, demonstrating consistent Scope 3 emissions reporting coverage year over year. a
Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 Emissions Over Time
- Total Scope 3
- Year-over-Year Change
What are Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 emissions?
In 2023, Southwest Airlines reported total Scope 3 emissions of 6,389,646 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e). a
Approximately 100% of these emissions originated from upstream activities such as purchased goods and capital goods, while 0% came from downstream activities like product use, distribution, and end-of-life treatment. a
Has Southwest Airlines reduced its Scope 3 emissions over time?
Since 2018, Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 emissions have increased by 4,179.74%, reflecting a rising long-term trend in Scope 3 emissions over time. a b
Compared to the previous year (2022), Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 emissions increased by 13.9%, suggesting that the company faced challenges in reducing emissions across its value chain. a
What categories of Scope 3 emissions does Southwest Airlines disclose?
In 2023, Southwest Airlines reported emissions for 5 out of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol. a
This partial disclosure allows for some insight into the company's indirect impacts.
What are the main sources of Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 emissions?
In 2023, the largest contributors to Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 emissions were: a
- Fuel- and Energy-Related Services (Cat. 3): 4,167,834 tCO₂e (65.23%)
- Purchased Goods and Services (Cat. 1): 1,716,201 tCO₂e (26.86%)
- Capital Goods (Cat. 2): 339,840 tCO₂e (5.32%)
Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 Emissions by Categories
Insights into Southwest Airlines’s GHG Emissions Intensity Compared to Industry Peers
In 2023, Southwest Airlines reported Scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 20,670,103 tCO₂e and total revenues of USD 26,091 millions. This translates into an emissions intensity of 792.23 tCO₂e per millions USD. a
Southwest Airlines's Scope 1 Emissions Intensity Compared to Peers
How does Southwest Airlines's GHG emissions intensity compare to its peers?
In 2023, Southwest Airlines reported a Scope 1 emissions intensity of 792.23 tCO₂e per millions USD. Compared to the peer group median of 61.04 , this places the company above its industry benchmark, indicating it is less carbon-efficient than most competitors. a
Where does Southwest Airlines rank on GHG emissions intensity within its industry?
In 2023, Southwest Airlines ranked 22 out of 25 companies in its industry peer group, based on Scope 1 emissions intensity (measured in tCO₂e per millions USD). a
This places Southwest Airlines among the least efficient performers, with one of the highest emissions intensities in its sector. a
Insights into Southwest Airlines's Total Carbon Footprint
In 2023, Southwest Airlines reported a total carbon footprint of 27,095,571 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) across Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. This represents a 12.11% increase compared to 2022, suggesting a rise in emissions across its operations or value chain. a
The largest contributor to Southwest Airlines's total carbon footprint was Scope 1 emissions, accounting for 76.29% of the company's total carbon footprint, followed by Scope 3 emissions at 23.58%. a