Flight Carbon Footprint Calculator
Estimate the CO₂ emissions of a flight based on distance and class. First class roughly doubles per-passenger emissions vs economy due to space per seat.
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About Flight Carbon Footprint Calculator
Why class matters
First and business class take up more aircraft floor space per passenger. Even though the plane burns the same fuel, dividing total emissions among fewer premium passengers gives each one a much larger footprint share.
Short vs long flights
Short flights have higher per-mile emissions because takeoff/landing burn disproportionate fuel. The first 100 miles of any flight is roughly 25% of total fuel. Per-mile, hopping flights are worst.
Offset effectiveness
Quality varies. Reputable programs (Gold Standard, Verra) verify projects (reforestation, renewable energy, methane capture). Cheap offsets can be greenwashing. Direct emission reduction beats offsetting, but neither replaces serious climate policy.