Flight Carbon Footprint Calculator
Greenhouse gas emissions of a flight per passenger, with and without the high-altitude multiplier.
Results
What this tool does
Emission factors depend heavily on aircraft, load factor and stage length: short hops are worse per kilometre because take-off burns disproportionately, while long hauls carry more fuel to carry the fuel. The default of 130 g per passenger-kilometre is a commonly quoted medium-haul figure — replace it with the one published by whichever scheme you are reporting to.
Formula
CO₂e = distance × passengers × emission factor × altitude factor
Variables
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
km | Distance | km |
pa | Passengers | — |
ef | Emission factor | g/pkm |
rf | Radiative forcing factor | — |
rd | One way (1) or return (2) | — |
CO | CO₂ emissions | t |
CK | CO₂ emissions | kg |
CB | CO₂ emissions | kg |
CR | Distance | km |
TR | Equivalent mature trees per year | — |
Worked example
- Distance1500 km
- Passengers2
- Emission factor130 g/pkm
- Radiative forcing factor1.9
- One way (1) or return (2)2
- CO₂ emissions1.4820 t
- CO₂ emissions1482.0 kg
- CO₂ emissions780.0 kg
- Distance12,350 km
- Equivalent mature trees per year70.6
Limitations
- The result is an estimate based only on the values you type. Real situations often include factors this calculator does not know about.
- The default values are typical reference figures, not measurements of your situation. Replace them with your own data whenever you have it.
- For work that must comply with a standard or be signed off, check the result against the applicable code and have it reviewed by a qualified engineer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the radiative forcing factor for?
Aircraft release their exhaust high in the atmosphere, where contrails, water vapour and nitrogen oxides add warming beyond the carbon dioxide alone. Different bodies apply different multipliers, commonly between 1.7 and 2.0, and some report the carbon dioxide on its own — which is why the third result shows that figure separately. Take the factor and the emission rate from whichever methodology you are reporting against.