SXSW 2026 — Private Jet Emissions Tracker
Music, Film & Tech Festival · Austin, Texas
Total CO₂
6,083 t
metric tonnes
Flights Tracked
1,383
private jet movements
Distinct Aircraft
708
unique tail numbers
Last updated March 22nd 2026
Carbon Sky Index tracked 1,383 private jet movements across Austin, Georgetown, and Pflugerville during SXSW 2026 2026. A total of 1,383 private jet movements were recorded, emitting an estimated 6,083.3 metric tonnes of CO₂. Emissions estimates are calculated using the EUROCONTROL EMEP/EEA Guidebook 2023 LTO and cruise phase methodology.
Private jet activity at Austin, Georgetown, and Pflugerville averaged 346.4 t CO₂ per day in the 30 days before the event. During the SXSW 2026 window, daily emissions peaked at 814 t CO₂ on March 23 — 135% above baseline.
Daily Flight Activity
vs. 30-day rolling baseline
Peak above 30-day baseline
+135%
Excess emissions on peak day
468 t
Peak inbound date · 627 total
March 23
Of the 1,398 total movements recorded, 627 were inbound arrivals and 771 were outbound departures. Inbound flights generated 2,801.9 t CO₂ and outbound flights generated 3,293.6 t CO₂.
Inbound / Outbound Split
Inbound arrivals
627
flights
2,802 t CO₂
Outbound departures
771
flights
3,294 t CO₂
First & Last
First arrival
San Antonio (KSAT)
Thu, Mar 12, 2026
Last departure
Sarasota/Bradenton (KSRQ)
Sun, Mar 22, 2026
The table below lists all 1,383 private jet movements tracked at Austin, Georgetown, and Pflugerville during SXSW 2026 2026. 368 aircraft were making their first recorded visit to the event airports in the prior four months.
All Flights
1,383 totalAustin→Sarasota/Bradenton
4.1 t CO₂
Houston→Austin
1.6 t CO₂
Walterboro→Austin
3.2 t CO₂
Austin→Camarillo
9.6 t CO₂
Austin→Teterboro
6.9 t CO₂
Scottsdale→Austin
5.3 t CO₂
Austin→Scottsdale
4.0 t CO₂
Rawlins→Austin
4.8 t CO₂
Austin→Dallas
1.3 t CO₂
Pecos→Austin
1.0 t CO₂
Aircraft arrived from 10 distinct origin airports during the event window. The highest-volume origin was Dallas (KDAL), which accounted for 28 arrivals and approximately 33.4 metric tonnes of CO₂.
Top Origin Cities
| Rank | Origin city | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DallasKDAL | 28 | 33 t | 1.2 t |
| 2 | Van NuysKVNY | 24 | 180 t | 7.5 t |
| 3 | San AntonioKSAT | 23 | 19 t | 0.8 t |
| 4 | TeterboroKTEB | 22 | 214 t | 9.7 t |
| 5 | DallasKADS | 19 | 22 t | 1.2 t |
| 6 | San JoseKSJC | 15 | 141 t | 9.4 t |
| 7 | LaredoKLRD | 14 | 14 t | 1.0 t |
| 8 | Las VegasKLAS | 13 | 78 t | 6.0 t |
| 9 | ScottsdaleKSDL | 12 | 47 t | 3.9 t |
| 10 | Fort WorthKFTW | 11 | 9 t | 0.8 t |
21 arrivals (163.6 t CO₂) with no recorded origin and 15 local movements (12.3 t CO₂) within the event airport cluster are excluded from this ranking.
Fleet Breakdown
Frequently Asked Questions
How many private jets flew to SXSW 2026 2026?
Carbon Sky Index tracked 1,383 private jet movements across Austin, Georgetown, and Pflugerville during the SXSW 2026 2026 window (March 12, 2026 to March 23, 2026). These 708 distinct aircraft emitted an estimated 6,083 metric tonnes of CO₂.
How much CO₂ did private jets emit at SXSW 2026 2026?
Private jets flying to and from SXSW 2026 2026 emitted an estimated 6,083 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 SXSW 2026 2026?
Carbon Sky Index monitored traffic across Austin, Georgetown, and Pflugerville. The highest volume of arriving aircraft came from Dallas, with 28 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 →