Will the future of air travel become greener?

The future of air travel is being shaped by sustainability efforts, both environmentally and financially. With the global travel industry rebounding from the pandemic, there is a growing focus on making air travel more sustainable, as BCD Travel's recent report reveals.

Travel buyers worldwide surveyed worldwide found that almost two-thirds of travel managers consider environmentally sustainable travel to be very or extremely important. Consumers, governments, and regulators are also calling for more sustainable air travel, and airlines are answering with plans for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Flying high on clean energy

One of the key components to achieving sustainability in air travel is the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which refers to renewable fuels or fuels made from waste that meet certain sustainability criteria.

Although planes are currently allowed to fly with up to 50% blended SAF, its full adoption is still some time away. SAF accounted for less than 0.1% of total aviation fuel consumption in 2020, but airlines are committing to increasing its use in the future. BCD and Delta Air Lines signed the first-ever agreement for SAF use in travel management, and corporate travel programmes are also exploring its use.

SAF provides some immediate relief for reducing air travel's carbon footprint, but the availability and cost associated with it have airlines pursuing other alternatives such as hybrid-electric, fully electric, and hydrogen-powered flights. These alternatives have the potential to reduce emissions and even offer emission-free flights, although they are still some years away from being fully adopted.

Choo-choo-choose sustainability

Rail travel also plays a role in sustainable travel and is being increasingly considered as an option for shorter trips. Several large markets already have high-speed electric-powered rail, which offers a greener and sometimes faster way to travel between city centers compared to air travel.

Using a combination of air and rail is another way to reduce travel's carbon footprint. Delta offers its Air + Rail train connection programme in Europe to provide onward train connections from stations located in airports.

According to Olivia Ruggles-Brise, vice president of sustainability at BCD, "the future of aviation lies in purposeful travel that maximises value and minimises impact." Adding that business travellers can play a part in sustainable aviation by evaluating the need for each flight and looking for sustainable options such as flying on new aircraft, selecting direct routes, or traveling in economy class.

The second part of BCD's report on the future of air travel is set to be published later in 2023, offering further insights into this crucial industry.