Eco-Friendly Flying: How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint In The Skies

BrighterPlanet.com has released their list of the most and least efficient airlines around the world. Which begs the question, how do ordinary citizens make their flights greener?

There are a handful of tips for people who want to make flying more energy efficient. How you choose your aircraft, your flight's seating arrangements and even flight time all have implications on a flight's efficiency.

The five main keys to take into account are an aircraft's passenger load factor, seat density, freight share, distance and fuel economy are all "critical factors for accurate flight carbon measurement and measurement," Brighter Planet reports. Check out a list of the greenest airlines here.

Here's the good news: Air travel efficiency has increased 20% since 2000, saving U.S. airlines a whopping $33 billion on fuel and prevented 670 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted.

Getty File

« PrevNext »

Choose a larger plane

On average, Brighter Planet reports, larger planes consume less fuel per capacity pound-mile than smaller aircraft.

Of the world's 20 largest airlines, Cathay Pacific and United Airlines provide passengers with the most efficient planes, while shorter haul airlines American Eagle and ExpressJet are less efficient.

In 2010, passengers flew on planes that were 12% more efficient than those flown on in 2000.

1 of 5 Photos

• 
• 
• 
• 
•