Burning Man 2025 — Private Jet Emissions Tracker
Arts & Culture Festival · Black Rock Desert, Nevada
Total CO₂
2,119 t
metric tonnes
Flights Tracked
468
private jet movements
Distinct Aircraft
243
unique tail numbers
Last updated September 1st 2025
Carbon Sky Index tracked 468 private jet movements across Reno, Stockton, and Emigrant Gap during Burning Man 2025 2025. A total of 468 private jet movements were recorded, emitting an estimated 2,119.4 metric tonnes of CO₂. Emissions estimates are calculated using the EUROCONTROL EMEP/EEA Guidebook 2023 LTO and cruise phase methodology.
Private jet activity at Reno, Stockton, and Emigrant Gap averaged 82 t CO₂ per day in the 30 days before the event. During the Burning Man 2025 window, daily emissions peaked at 331.7 t CO₂ on September 1 — 304% above baseline.
Daily Flight Activity
vs. 30-day rolling baseline
Peak above 30-day baseline
+304%
Excess emissions on peak day
250 t
Peak inbound date · 195 total
September 1
Of the 468 total movements recorded, 195 were inbound arrivals and 273 were outbound departures. Inbound flights generated 810.2 t CO₂ and outbound flights generated 1,309.2 t CO₂.
Inbound / Outbound Split
Inbound arrivals
195
flights
810 t CO₂
Outbound departures
273
flights
1,309 t CO₂
First & Last
First arrival
Sacramento (KSMF)
Sat, Aug 23, 2025
Last departure
San Francisco (KSFO)
Mon, Sep 1, 2025
The table below lists all 468 private jet movements tracked at Reno, Stockton, and Emigrant Gap during Burning Man 2025 2025. 256 aircraft were making their first recorded visit to the event airports in the prior four months.
All Flights
468 totalSan Francisco→Reno
0.9 t CO₂
Las Vegas→Reno
1.9 t CO₂
Reno→San Francisco
0.7 t CO₂
Las Vegas→Reno
1.6 t CO₂
Salt Lake City→Reno
2.0 t CO₂
Van Nuys→Reno
1.3 t CO₂
Reno→Idaho Falls
1.5 t CO₂
Reno→Lincoln
3.6 t CO₂
Reno→Redmond
1.1 t CO₂
Reno→Denver
2.4 t CO₂
Aircraft arrived from 10 distinct origin airports during the event window. The highest-volume origin was Los Angeles (KLAX), which accounted for 17 arrivals and approximately 38.4 metric tonnes of CO₂.
Top Origin Cities
| Rank | Origin city | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los AngelesKLAX | 17 | 38 t | 2.3 t |
| 2 | San JoseKSJC | 15 | 18 t | 1.2 t |
| 3 | Van NuysKVNY | 13 | 24 t | 1.8 t |
| 4 | SeattleKBFI | 10 | 29 t | 2.9 t |
| 5 | ScottsdaleKSDL | 10 | 26 t | 2.6 t |
| 6 | Las VegasKLAS | 8 | 17 t | 2.1 t |
| 7 | TeterboroKTEB | 8 | 131 t | 16.3 t |
| 8 | Santa AnaKSNA | 7 | 10 t | 1.5 t |
| 9 | San FranciscoKSFO | 6 | 6 t | 0.9 t |
| 10 | Salt Lake CityKSLC | 4 | 10 t | 2.4 t |
4 arrivals (9.1 t CO₂) with no recorded origin are excluded from this ranking.
Fleet Breakdown
Frequently Asked Questions
How many private jets flew to Burning Man 2025 2025?
Carbon Sky Index tracked 468 private jet movements across Reno, Stockton, and Emigrant Gap during the Burning Man 2025 2025 window (August 23, 2025 to September 2, 2025). These 243 distinct aircraft emitted an estimated 2,119 metric tonnes of CO₂.
How much CO₂ did private jets emit at Burning Man 2025 2025?
Private jets flying to and from Burning Man 2025 2025 emitted an estimated 2,119 metric tonnes of CO₂ in total. Carbon Sky Index calculates emissions using the EUROCONTROL EMEP/EEA Guidebook 2023 methodology, covering both LTO (landing and takeoff) and cruise phase emissions.
Which airport had the most private jet traffic during Burning Man 2025 2025?
Carbon Sky Index monitored traffic across Reno, Stockton, and Emigrant Gap. The highest volume of arriving aircraft came from Los Angeles, with 17 inbound flights recorded.
How does Carbon Sky Index track private jet emissions?
Carbon Sky Index uses ADS-B transponder data to identify private jet movements at monitored airports. CO₂ estimates are calculated per flight using the EUROCONTROL EMEP/EEA Guidebook 2023 methodology, which accounts for aircraft type, route distance, and both LTO and cruise phase fuel burn. Data is updated daily.
Flight data is sourced from ADS-B transponder signals aggregated from a global receiver network and updated daily. CO₂ estimates are calculated using aircraft-type hourly burn rates from the Carbon Sky Index emissions model. Read methodology →