Flight Carbon Footprint Calculator
CO₂e per passenger and what offsetting costs.
Enter your values
ⓘ Live results
- Total CO₂e
- 3.17 tonnes
- Per passenger, per leg
- 792 kg
- Offset cost
- $57.05
- Equivalent driving
- 18,642 km in an average car
- Share of a 2-tonne annual budget
- 79%
Quick answer
A typical economy passenger emits about 90 g of CO₂ per kilometre on short haul and 75 g on long haul; premium cabins multiply that by the extra floor space they use.
CO₂e = km × factor × cabin multiplier × RFI
How to use the Flight Carbon Footprint Calculator
- 1Enter the one-way great-circle distance in kilometres.
- 2Pick the cabin — premium seats take more space and carry a higher share of emissions.
- 3Set the number of legs and passengers.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Flight distance one way5560 km
- CabinEconomy
- Number of flights (2 = return)2
- Passengers travelling2
- Offset price18 $/tonne
Results
- Total CO₂e3.17 tonnes
- Per passenger, per leg792 kg
- Offset cost$57.05
- Equivalent driving18,642 km in an average car
- Share of a 2-tonne annual budget79%
Frequently asked questions
What is radiative forcing?
High-altitude emissions of water vapour and nitrogen oxides add warming beyond CO₂ alone. A multiplier of about 1.9 is the common convention for aviation.
Are offsets worth buying?
They are a mitigation, not a fix. Choose certified removal or Gold Standard projects, and treat flying less or flying economy as the bigger lever.
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by James Whitfield · How we build and test calculators
- Report an error
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.