Southwest Airlines Co
Southwest Airlines's GHG Emissions Data Preview
In 2024, 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 7 out of 15 Scope 3 emissions categories, offering greater transparency into its value chain emissions.
| Metric (tCO2e) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 - 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Scope 1 | 0000000 | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  a | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  a | 0000000 |
Total Scope 2 | ||||
Market-Based | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  a | 0000000 | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  a | 0000000 |
Location-Based | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  a | 0000000 | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  a | 0000000 |
Total Scope 3 | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  a | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  a | 0000000 | 0000000 |
Total Scope 1 Revenue Intensity (tCO2e/$M) | 0000000 | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  a | Copy/Paste is a PRO feature.  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 2024, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Southwest Airlines amounted to 21,120,589 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 2023, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Southwest Airlines increased by 2%, 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 2024, the total Scope 1 emissions of Southwest Airlines were 21,091,127 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).a
Has Southwest Airlines reduced its Scope 1 emissions over time?
Since 2019, Southwest Airlines's Scope 1 emissions have increased by 5.3%, reflecting a rising long-term trend in Scope 1 emissions over time.ab
Compared to the previous year (2023), Southwest Airlines's Scope 1 emissions increased by 2.04%, 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 2024, Southwest Airlines reported Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 16,712 tCO₂e using the market-based method and 29,462 tCO₂e using the location-based method.a
Has Southwest Airlines reduced its Scope 2 emissions over time?
Since 2019, Southwest Airlines's Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Location-Based) have decreased by 34.21%, reflecting a declining long-term trend in Scope 2 emissions over time.ab
Compared to the previous year (2023), Southwest Airlines's Scope 2 emissions (Location-Based) fell by 17.75% in 2024, showing that the company has made progress in taking action to reduce the climate impact of its energy consumption.a
What methodology does Southwest Airlines use for Scope 2 reporting?
In 2024, 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 2024, Southwest Airlines reported 5,859,662 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 2024 disclosure of Southwest Airlines includes a breakdown across 7 of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol, up from 5 in 2023, reflecting improved emissions accounting practices and greater transparency across the company's value chaina
Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 Emissions Over Time
- Total Scope 3
- Year-over-Year Change
What are Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 emissions?
In 2024, Southwest Airlines reported total Scope 3 emissions of 5,859,662 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).a
Approximately 99.85% of these emissions originated from upstream activities such as purchased goods and capital goods, while 0.15% 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 2019, Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 emissions have increased by 39.83%, reflecting a rising long-term trend in Scope 3 emissions over time.ab
Compared to the previous year (2023), Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 emissions remained relatively stable, indicating that Southwest Airlines's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its value chain footprint.a
What categories of Scope 3 emissions does Southwest Airlines disclose?
In 2024, Southwest Airlines reported emissions for 7 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 2024, the largest contributors to Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 emissions were:a
- Fuel- and Energy-Related Services (Cat. 3): 4,507,835 tCO₂e (76.93%)
- Purchased Goods and Services (Cat. 1): 995,984 tCO₂e (17%)
- Employee Commuting (Cat. 7): 156,671 tCO₂e (2.67%)
Southwest Airlines's Scope 3 Emissions by Categories
Insights into Southwest Airlines’s GHG Emissions Intensity Compared to Industry Peers
In 2024, Southwest Airlines reported Scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 21,091,127 tCO₂e and total revenues of USD 27,483 millions. This translates into an emissions intensity of 767.42 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 2024, Southwest Airlines reported a Scope 1 emissions intensity of 767.42 tCO₂e per millions USD. Compared to the peer group median of 16.85, 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 2024, Southwest Airlines ranked 23 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 2024, Southwest Airlines reported a total carbon footprint of 26,980,251 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) across Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. This represents a 0.43% decrease compared to 2023, indicating progress in reducing its overall greenhouse gas output.a
The largest contributor to Southwest Airlines's total carbon footprint was Scope 1 emissions, accounting for 78.17% of the company's total carbon footprint, followed by Scope 3 emissions at 21.72%.a