International travel is booming again. According to the United Nations World Tourism Barometer, an estimated 1,520,000,000 international tourists traveled around the world in 2025. That is almost sixty million more than in 2024, marking a new post-pandemic record for international tourist arrivals. Africa saw the strongest growth, while Asia and the Pacific continued to recover steadily from the pandemic.
The global travel industry is not only growing in visitor numbers—it is also seeing record earnings. Tourism receipts reached an estimated one trillion nine hundred billion United States dollars in 2025, up five percent from 2024. Travel, however, comes with an environmental cost. Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, your journey contributes to carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, or CO₂e, because most cars, planes, buses, and trains are still powered by fossil fuels.
Making sustainable travel choices is increasingly important, and having clear information can help you make those choices. If you have options, such as deciding between flying and driving, understanding the CO₂e impact of each choice can make a real difference.
In this article, we compare these two forms of travel in terms of carbon footprint and include some tips to help minimise CO₂e emissions when travelling by road or air.
The Carbon Footprint of Flying
Several factors influence the emissions generated by flying, including aircraft type, size, distance travelled, cabin class, passenger load, and flight phases such as taxiing, take-off, cruising, and landing.
Because of these variables, emissions can vary significantly between flights. However, widely accepted industry estimates provide a useful benchmark:
- Short-haul flights typically emit between 150 and 250 grams of CO₂e per passenger per kilometre, with domestic or very short flights sitting at the higher end due to the relative fuel intensity of take-off and landing.
- Long-haul flights are more efficient per kilometre, as cruising accounts for the majority of the journey, but total emissions remain high because of the greater distance.
To put this into context, a flight from Edinburgh to Gatwick, covering approximately 573 kilometres, would generate around 86 to 143 kilograms of CO₂e per passenger, depending on the aircraft and operational conditions.
Unlike driving, these emissions are largely fixed per passenger. While cabin class affects the per-person footprint—premium and business seats take up more space and therefore a larger share of emissions—sharing the flight with other people does not reduce an individual’s emissions.
The carbon footprint of driving
As with flying, multiple factors affect driving emissions. Vehicle type, fuel source (petrol, diesel, hybrid, or electric), passenger count, route choice, and driving style all play a role.
In the United Kingdom, the average car now emits approximately 129 grams of CO₂ per kilometre, reflecting improvements in vehicle efficiency.
Using the same Edinburgh → Gatwick example, a road journey of around 705 kilometres would generate 91 kilograms of CO₂e for a single-occupancy petrol car.
One of the key advantages of driving is the ability to share the journey:
- Two people → ~45 kilograms CO₂e per person
- Four people → ~23 kilograms CO₂e per person
This means that for many trips—particularly shorter ones—car sharing can make driving a lower-carbon option than flying on a per-person basis. Electric vehicles or hybrids can reduce emissions further, depending on how the electricity is generated.
Tips for reducing flight carbon emissions
Avoid domestic flights when possible
If time allows, consider alternative transport such as trains. Train travel, for example, generates around 33 grams of CO₂e per kilometre per passenger. Even partially switching part of your journey to rail can make a positive difference.
Fly direct whenever possible
Take-offs and landings are fuel-intensive. Direct flights reduce total emissions by avoiding additional legs and shorter connecting flights.
Sit in economy
Air passenger emissions are partly determined by the space a passenger occupies. Business and first-class seats take up more room and can generate up to double the emissions of an economy seat.
Keep your luggage as light as possible
Heavier planes require more fuel. Even small reductions in passenger luggage add up across flights.
Offset flight emissions
If you want to take steps for a greener future, you can choose to offset some or all of the emissions that a flight you’ve taken has generated. Find out more about offsetting flight emissions.
Tips for reducing driving carbon emissions
Carpool as often as you can
Sharing your journey reduces per-person emissions and often saves money on fuel. Lift-share schemes and employer carpool programs make this easier than ever.
Consider the fuel you use
Regularly using fuels with built-in cleaning agents, or adding cleaning products to your tank, helps the engine run more efficiently and reduces emissions.
Get the car serviced regularly
Oil changes, air filter replacements, and general maintenance keep your vehicle running efficiently.
Check your tyre pressures at least monthly
Under-inflated tyres increase fuel consumption and CO₂e emissions.
Make some adjustments to your driving style
Even some fairly minor changes to driving habits can make a tangible difference to your car’s efficiency and fuel consumption over time. Some of the small tweaks you can make include:
- Reduce your idling time - turn off the engine if you’re waiting at a standstill for more than 10 seconds
- Change gear slightly earlier and accelerate gradually
- Brake sooner and more gently
Offset driving emissions
You can take steps to reduce your personal carbon footprint by calculating and offsetting your car’s CO₂e emissions for a whole year or more at a time. Switch2Zero's Vehicle Emissions Calculator takes into account the make and model of your vehicle, along with the number of miles that you drive annually, will help to determine the most accurate measurement of CO₂e that you have generated through your travels by road.
A more sustainable future
Reducing your personal carbon footprint can be simple. Switch2Zero helps you take meaningful action:
- Invest in projects that make the world a cleaner place
- Track your impact over time
- Offset your emissions individually or for your whole family
Every journey is an opportunity to make a better choice. Understanding your footprint is the first step, and small changes can make a real difference.
Find out more about personal CO₂e emissions offsetting with Switch2Zero.
