© Airbus SAS 2024
A flight to Spain for just €12. It almost sounds too good to be true. For us, it feels like a bargain, but who pays the real price?
At a time when sustainability and climate change are becoming ever more urgent, air travel remains strikingly cheap. And that’s exactly where the problem lies.
Cheap tickets, high environmental costs
Every liter of kerosene burned releases an average of 2.5 kilograms of CO₂. And that’s only part of the story. During a flight, aircraft also emit nitrogen oxides, soot particles, and other greenhouse gases.
Together, these emissions intensify the greenhouse effect. Cheap for the traveler, expensive for the planet. But… is flying always worse than the alternatives?
Flying vs. driving: surprising numbers
Imagine traveling alone from Amsterdam to Madrid.
- 🚗 By car: approx. 390 kg of CO₂
- ✈️ By plane: approx. 254 kg of CO₂
At first glance, flying appears to be the less polluting option.
But this comparison doesn’t tell the whole story. Beyond CO₂, flying also causes additional climate effects that are not always captured in numbers.
A single flight can have an impact comparable to 4 months of daily commuting with an average car.
Can flying ever become truly sustainable?
For now, fully sustainable air travel for the general public remains a distant goal. But behind the scenes, a lot is happening:
Why are plane tickets so cheap sometimes?
That €12 ticket to Spain doesn’t come out of nowhere.
- Intense competition, causing prices to drop extremely low at times.
- Want to learn more about how plane tickets are priced? Read: Airline cost structure explained.
CO₂ compensation: A solution or just reassurance?
Many airlines offer CO₂ compensation programs, allowing passengers to pay extra to support projects such as tree planting or wind energy. It helps, but it does not make flying climate-neutral. Compensation is better than nothing, but it is not a free pass.
© Airbus SAS 2014
Airlines are taking responsibility
Airlines themselves are not standing still. Many are making deliberate investments in newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft to reduce their environmental footprint, even though fleet renewal requires massive financial investments.
- Ryanair has ordered 300 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft, consuming around 20% less fuel.
- Brussels Airlines is replacing A320 aircraft with A320neo models, reducing fuel consumption by approximately 20%.
- TUI fly is replacing older Boeing 737 aircraft with the 737 MAX, achieving fuel savings of up to 15–20%.
In short
Flying is not yet sustainable, but it is far from standing still. The aviation industry is under pressure, yet clearly in motion.
We shouldn’t only pressure airlines. Aircraft manufacturers also play a key role, as they ultimately decide what enters the market.
Perhaps within ten years, you’ll find yourself on an electric or hydrogen-powered aircraft. And when that moment comes, take a second to look back at today when it was still just a big dream.
By: Rico Valkenborgh | April 9, 2026
€12 plane ticket: treat for us, threat for the climate?
© Airbus SAS 2024
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