Southwest
Southwest Airlines Co., commonly known as Southwest, is a leading American low-cost airline headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Founded in 1967, the airline has grown to become a major player in the aviation industry, primarily serving domestic routes across the United States, with a focus on providing affordable travel options. Renowned for its unique business model, Southwest operates a point-to-point transit system, which allows for greater flexibility and efficiency. The airline's core services include scheduled passenger flights, with a commitment to no hidden fees and a generous baggage policy, setting it apart from competitors. With a strong market position, Southwest has consistently ranked among the top airlines for customer satisfaction and operational performance, making it a preferred choice for millions of travellers each year.
DitchCarbon Score
How does Southwest's carbon action stack up? DitchCarbon scores companies based on their carbon action and commitment to reducing emissions. Read about our methodology to learn more.
Industry Average
Mean score of companies in the Air Transport industry. Comparing a company's score to the industry average can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
Industry Benchmark
Southwest's score of 47 is higher than 97% of the industry. This can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
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Southwest's reported carbon emissions
In 2023, Southwest Airlines reported total carbon emissions of approximately 24,873,759,000 kg CO2e. This figure includes emissions from all three scopes: Scope 1 emissions were about 1,135,414,000 kg CO2e, primarily from stationary combustion, while Scope 2 emissions totalled approximately 141,673,000 kg CO2e. Scope 3 emissions amounted to around 3,419,415 kg CO2e, with significant contributions from capital goods and employee commuting. In 2022, the airline's total emissions were approximately 22,309,123,000 kg CO2e, indicating a rise in emissions over the year. The 2021 emissions were reported at about 19,363,872,000 kg CO2e, showing a trend of increasing emissions in recent years. Southwest has not disclosed specific reduction targets or initiatives under the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) or any formal climate pledges. However, the airline has reported estimated greenhouse gas emission reductions or removals in previous years, such as approximately 2,000 tonnes CO2e in 2021 and 1,000 tonnes CO2e in 2020. Overall, while Southwest Airlines has made some progress in tracking and reporting its emissions, it currently lacks defined reduction targets or commitments to significantly lower its carbon footprint in the aviation industry.
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| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 | 20,029,020,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 |
| Scope 2 | 44,783,000 | - | - | 00,000,000 | 00,000,000 |
| Scope 3 | 153,621,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000 |
Industry emissions intensity
Location emissions intensity
Reduction initiatives & disclosure networks
Companies disclose and commit to reducing emissions to show they are serious about reducing emissions impact over time. They can also help a company track its progress over time.
Southwest is participating in some of the initiatives that we track. This may change over time as the company engages with new initiatives or updates its commitments. DitchCarbon will update this information as it becomes available.
