Flight Carbon Calculator

Estimate the CO2 emissions of your flight based on distance, cabin class, and number of passengers.

Origin Airport

Destination Airport

Cabin Class

Passengers

Total CO2 Emissions

Distance
Cabin Class
Cabin Multiplier
Passengers

Carbon Equivalences

Trees Needed (1 Year)

to absorb this CO2

Driving Equivalent

in an average car

Streaming Equivalent

of video streaming

View full distance details →

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does business class produce more CO2 per passenger?

Business and first class seats occupy more floor space on the aircraft, meaning fewer passengers share the fuel burn. A business class seat typically takes 2.5-3x the floor area of an economy seat, so each passenger bears a proportionally larger share of the aircraft's total fuel consumption.

What is radiative forcing and why does it matter?

Aircraft emit CO2 and other gases at high altitude, where their warming effect is amplified compared to ground-level emissions. This amplification, called radiative forcing, roughly doubles the climate impact of aviation CO2. Our calculator includes a multiplier for this effect to show the total climate impact.

How do short-haul and long-haul emissions differ?

Short-haul flights (under 1,500 km) produce higher per-km emissions because takeoff, climb, and landing consume disproportionate fuel relative to the distance traveled. Long-haul flights are more fuel-efficient per kilometer during cruise, but the total emissions are higher due to the greater distance.

Can I offset my flight emissions?

Many airlines and third-party organizations offer carbon offset programs where you can fund projects that reduce emissions elsewhere (reforestation, renewable energy, etc.). While offsets don't eliminate the emissions from your flight, they can compensate by funding equivalent reductions.

How does flying compare to driving?

A solo driver in an average car emits roughly 170-210g CO2/km. An economy air passenger emits about 90-115g CO2/km (before radiative forcing). However, with radiative forcing included, flying and solo driving are roughly comparable per km. Trains emit only 6-40g CO2/passenger-km depending on the energy source.

Methodology

CO2 emissions are calculated using per-passenger-kilometer emission factors derived from ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator methodology. Base economy emission factor is approximately 90g CO2/passenger-km for short-haul and 115g CO2/passenger-km for long-haul. Cabin class multipliers are applied: economy (1.0x), premium economy (1.6x), business (2.9x), and first class (4.0x). These multipliers reflect the larger seat pitch and floor space per passenger in premium cabins. Results include radiative forcing effects of high-altitude emissions.