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 29 is higher than 88% 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 1,135,414,000 kg CO2e for Scope 1, 141,673,000 kg CO2e for Scope 2, and 3,419,415 kg CO2e for Scope 3 emissions. The airline's emissions from purchased goods and services within Scope 3 amounted to about 129,857,270 kg CO2e. For 2024, Southwest achieved estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions of about 3,000 tonnes CO2e, while in 2025, they reported an estimated reduction of approximately 5,000 tonnes CO2e. Despite these reductions, there are currently no specified reduction targets or commitments under the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) or other formal climate pledges. Overall, Southwest Airlines is actively working towards reducing its carbon footprint, although specific long-term reduction targets have not been disclosed. The airline's commitment to sustainability is evident through its ongoing efforts to monitor and report emissions across all scopes.
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Access structured emissions data, company-specific emission factors, and source documents
| 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 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
| Scope 3 | 153,621,000 | 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.
