Calculate Your Flight’s Carbon Footprint

Flying is one of the most carbon-intensive activities most people engage in. A single round-trip flight from New York to London generates approximately 1.6 tons of CO2 per passenger - equivalent to driving 4,000 miles in an average car.

Understanding Aviation Emissions

Commercial aviation accounts for about 2-3% of global CO2 emissions, but its impact on climate change is actually higher due to:

  • High-altitude emissions that have 2-3x the warming effect
  • Contrails and cirrus clouds that trap heat
  • Non-CO2 effects like nitrogen oxides and water vapor

How to Calculate Your Flight’s Impact

1. Use Online Calculators

Several reliable tools can estimate your flight’s carbon footprint:

  • ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator (most accurate)
  • EPA Flight Carbon Calculator
  • Carbonfund.org Flight Calculator

2. Manual Calculation

For a rough estimate:

  1. Find your flight distance (use Great Circle Mapper)
  2. Multiply by 0.5 kg CO2 per mile for economy class
  3. Add 25% for domestic flights, 100% for international (airport operations)

Reducing Your Flight Footprint

Choose Better Options

  • Direct flights use 25% less fuel than connecting flights
  • Economy class has a smaller footprint than business/first
  • Newer aircraft are typically 15-20% more fuel efficient

Offset Your Emissions

While not perfect, carbon offsets can help:

  • Choose Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard projects
  • Focus on permanent storage (reforestation, direct air capture)
  • Expect to pay $15-30 per ton of CO2

The Bottom Line

Flying will likely remain carbon-intensive for decades. The most impactful actions you can take:

  1. Fly less frequently - combine trips when possible
  2. Choose direct flights and economy seating
  3. Offset thoughtfully with high-quality projects
  4. Support sustainable aviation fuel development

Remember: measuring your impact is the first step toward reducing it.

Track your flights more efficiently with NowBoarding - know exactly when to arrive at the airport and reduce unnecessary emissions from extended airport waiting times.