Taking Steps to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint While Flying
A blueprint for eco-friendly air travel
Embrace the future of sustainable air travel with Expedia. We aim to provide tangible solutions that make eco-friendly air travel more than just a pipe dream.
Dive into our handy guide on how to:
- access flight information with the "Below Average CO2" badge
- understand your air travel carbon footprint and its implications for eco-friendly air travel
- benefit from a range of tips to help you make your journey as environmentally conscious as possible.
Let's create a more sustainable future together.
Towards more sustainable air travel with the "Below Average CO2" badge
At Expedia, we're passionate about transforming the way you travel, and that includes caring for the planet we live on. We want to empower you with knowledge and awareness of your air travel carbon footprint.
That's why we've created the innovative "Below Average CO2" badge to offer you valuable insights into the emissions associated with your flight. It's a visual representation of the relative carbon footprint of the flight you're considering, located right under the flight details. It encourages informed decision-making, nudging you towards flights with lower CO2 emissions, and enables you to select the best flight with this vital factor taken into account.
The "Below Average CO2" badge is an invaluable tool in your environmentally-conscious travel toolkit for planning your travels in 2025. This initiative underscores the value of individual contributions. We want to help you make a difference by giving you a resource that enables you to leave a positive footprint on the world. Together, we're charting a new path to a more sustainable future in air travel.
The carbon footprint and what it means for air travel
If we want to move towards more sustainable flying, it's essential to understand our carbon footprint—the environmental impact of our actions. The carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, produced directly and indirectly as a result of our activities. One of the main contributors to our carbon footprint is air travel.
How air travel affects our carbon footprint
Most of our air travel carbon footprint comes from the combustion of jet fuel, which releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The size of the footprint depends on various factors, such as the type of aircraft, flight distance, altitude, and load. In other words, long-haul flights and larger aircraft tend to generate a larger carbon footprint.
The impact of air travel
Air travel contributes to a significant portion of global annual CO2 emissions. This might seem insignificant but it's more than most countries emit. If air travel were a country, it would be the world's sixth-largest emitter. Airplane emissions, because they occur at higher altitudes where they release greenhouse gases, have a more significant impact on global warming compared to ground emissions.
The consequence of this environmental disruption is severe, with melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events, all of which pose a dire threat to the earth's ecosystems.
The good news
On the plus side, efforts are underway to mitigate this. The aviation industry is investing in advanced technologies, exploring alternative fuel options, and making improvements to operations to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. From a regulatory perspective, policymakers are stepping up efforts to tackle aviation's carbon footprint. Although the specifics of these regulations are complex, their ultimate goal is clear: sustainable flying and an environmentally conscious aviation industry.
Looking ahead
When it comes to our air travel carbon footprint, there's promise for a more sustainable future. Aircraft companies are eagerly working on innovations like electric planes, hydrogen fuel cells, and sustainable aviation fuels. Even though they're still in the starting phases, these technologies have the potential to make a huge difference in the aviation industry's carbon footprint.
Let's do our bit
As travelers, we've also got a pivotal role to play. Our travel and flight choices can make a positive impact. Every step towards sustainable air travel is a step towards a healthier planet. In the next section, you'll learn about what steps you, as an individual, can take to play your part here.
6 ways you can help make flying more sustainable
- Choose non-stop flights:
Non-stop flights are more fuel-efficient than those with layovers because take-offs and landings consume the most fuel. - Fly economy:
Economy class is more carbon-efficient than business or first class because it accommodates more passengers. The carbon emissions are divided among more people, reducing individual emissions. - Travel light:
The less luggage an aircraft carries, the less fuel it burns. If you only pack what you need and avoid taking excess luggage, you'll be contributing to lower fuel consumption. - Select fuel-efficient airlines:
Some airlines are more fuel-efficient thanks to newer planes, better load management, and operational practices. Choose airlines that prioritize sustainability. - Consider carbon offsetting:
Some airlines and travel companies offer carbon offsetting programs, where you can invest in environmental projects to offset the emissions generated by your flight. - Support sustainable aviation fuels:
You can contribute to sustainable flying by choosing airlines that use greener alternatives to conventional jet fuels.
Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism In JapanOpens in a new window green and pleasant lands
You can find plenty of ways to travel sustainably in JapanOpens in a new window, which is not surprising considering it’s the country that popularized shinrinyoku (forest bathing) and invented moss-viewing tours. Even in the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, you can reduce your carbon footprint by following eco-friendly travel practices. Exploring off-the-beaten path locations, staying in a traditional Japanese ryokan, and learning about Japanese culture through a hands-on workshop all support ecotourism in Japan.
Ecotourism And Future Travel Trends
From sustainable vacations to hopping a shuttle into space, we’re looking at some very different future travel possibilities. Ecotourism expert, Gregory Miller, shares tangible tips on how to be an environmentally-conscious traveler and Rose Eveleth, host of “Flash Forward,” describes what a journey to Mars might look like.
Top Tips For Eco-Friendly Travel in spring bloom
Being a global citizen comes with a lot of responsibility, but if taking action now means securing a plentiful future, we’re more than happy to oblige. Clean living starts at home, but you shouldn’t change your conservation habits just because you’re on someone else’s turf. In fact, sustainable travel is the perfect opportunity to show Mother Earth and fellow inhabitants how much you care. Green travel can take many forms, from responsible and ethical practices to the increasing popularity of ecotourism. Here are some of our favorite ways to see the world while ensuring the same right for future generations.