Carbon Footprint and Carbon Emissions of Private Jets

We can't deny how private jets can heighten our traveling comfort. It's such a need to use these jets to make every Instagram-worthy travel spot accessible. There's no doubt that life would be so dull without these aircraft. No one wants to stay in the same place or country forever, right?

Are Private Jets Environmental Friendly?

All the selfishness aside, are these planes environmentally friendly? Indeed, you'd want to be a part of a more significant movement for our only living planet, Earth.

To answer the question, its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are actually very polluting. It soared from 2005 to 2019 with a whopping increase of 31%. Though, the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily halted its rapid growth. Everyone wants the virus to end and put an effort to do so, meaning that the rise of private jet emissions will continue. Among the most polluting jets is the Airbus A340. 

Than any other mode of transportation whether via land, air, or sea, aircrafts' CO2 emissions are the worse. According to the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, every liter of burned turbine fuel for aviation releases 2.52 kilograms of carbon dioxide. In its maximum climate impact, the number is multiplied by 1.9, reflecting the non-CO2 emissions of the planes at a high altitude.

Are the 2.52 kilograms of CO2 really that harmful? As an illustrative example, imagine that the average fuel consumption for a private jet needs about more or less 227 liters per hour, and you're flying for about three hours. That's 681 liters of burned fuel and 1716 kilograms of carbon dioxide! What more if multiple private jet flights for today?

Furthermore, about statistics, private jets can contribute 5 to 14 times more to the pollution than passenger or commercial planes, and 50 times more than trains. That's a huge gap; thus, we can't deny its significantly more negative impact than its commercial alternatives!

As a recommendation for us, riders, it's probably better to lose a little bit of the luxury of flying alone to help the environment. It's all up to you, though, as different circumstances need different solutions!