There are steps you can take to lessen the impact of carbon emissions from flights, which can generate as much as 986 kg of CO2 per passenger. One such way is to offset flight emissions, which help to balance out the 2.5% of global carbon emissions caused by air travel. 

That’s what this article is about – how carbon offsets for flights work and how to offer carbon offsets for flights on your booking platform.

Prepare for takeoff…

What Is a Flight Carbon Offset?

Flight carbon offsets are credits that can be purchased to compensate for the carbon emissions produced by a flight. One credit equals one metric tonne of removed or reduced carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). These credits are generated through verified emission removal projects such as planting trees, investing in renewable energy, or the capture and destruction of methane gas at landfills. 

By choosing to offset flight emissions, you not only neutralize your environmental impact but also support sustainable development projects that benefit communities and ecosystems around the world.

How Do Carbon Offsets Work?

When you purchase a carbon offset, you’re essentially funding projects that remove CO2 or avoid adding more of it to the atmosphere, balancing out your own carbon footprint. The process begins with the calculation of how much CO2 your activities (like flying) emit. Once quantified, you buy an equivalent amount of offsets. These offsets are then used to finance various environmental initiatives, each rigorously vetted and certified by third-party standards to ensure they achieve real, quantifiable reductions in greenhouse gasses.

The effectiveness of carbon offsets hinges on the principle of “additionality,” meaning the projects they fund would not have happened without the financial support generated from the sale of offsets. This ensures your contribution leads to extra environmental benefits that surpass what would have occurred otherwise. Through this system, carbon offsets not only help mitigate climate change but also often support advancements in technology, biodiversity conservation, and the wellbeing of local communities by providing jobs, cleaner air, and improved water quality.

Want to know where your business stands? Get your sustainability scorecard with our quiz:

Why Booking Sites Need To Offer Offsets For Flights At Checkout

By integrating carbon offset options directly into the checkout process, booking platforms can lead the charge towards more sustainable travel. 

For example, EcoCart’s API allows booking sites to calculate emissions per travel path so that customers can offset their travel plans at checkout.

Here are several compelling reasons why offering carbon offsets at checkout is beneficial to businesses:

• Enhanced Customer Experience: Modern consumers expect seamless and socially responsible shopping experiences. By offering carbon offsets at checkout, booking sites cater to this expectation, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. This added convenience can be a deciding factor for eco-conscious travelers, potentially increasing conversion rates.
• Competitive Advantage: Offering carbon offsets positions a booking platform as environmentally responsible, allowing you to keep up with your competitors. This unique selling proposition (USP) can attract a growing segment of eco-conscious consumers, keeping your brand at the forefront of your industry.
• Increased Average Order Value (AOV): When customers opt to purchase carbon offsets, they’re effectively increasing their order value. This incremental revenue, although seemingly modest on a per-transaction basis, can significantly contribute to overall profit margins and financial performance.
• Positive Brand Perception and PR: Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can enhance a brand’s image, leading to positive media coverage and word-of-mouth. This improved brand perception can attract new customers, retain existing ones, and even open up partnership opportunities with like-minded companies.
• Data Insights for Tailored Marketing: Offering carbon offsets provides valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviors. This data can inform targeted marketing strategies, allowing businesses to tailor their messaging and offers to segments of their audience that are more environmentally conscious.
• Alignment with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Goals: Integrating carbon offsets into the booking process aligns with broader CSR objectives, reinforcing a company’s commitment to sustainability. This alignment can boost employee morale, attract talent, and satisfy stakeholder demands for responsible business practices.

EcoCart’s customers have experienced significant benefits by integrating climate contribution opportunities into their checkout experiences. Here are a few case studies that demonstrate how different brands used EcoCart to drive engagement, increase conversions, and enhance their brand’s commitment to sustainability:

• Nomad Goods saw over 30% of their customer base opting for carbon-neutral orders shortly after implementing EcoCart, which helped them engage customers more deeply in their mission to operate sustainably.
• JuneShine, an alcohol company, experienced a 43% adoption rate for their carbon-neutral checkout option after integrating EcoCart. This initiative not only engaged their customers in sustainability efforts but also resulted in over 2.26 million pounds of carbon being offset, underscoring JuneShine’s commitment to operating sustainably​.
• Nuzest, known for their line of lean protein powders, witnessed a 22% lift in cart conversion rates after adding EcoCart to their Shopify store. This implementation led to 15% of all their orders being shipped carbon neutral with EcoCart, highlighting the positive reception from their eco-conscious consumer base.
• LSKD, an Australian sportswear brand, achieved a 70% adoption rate during a sustainability-focused giveaway campaign in collaboration with EcoCart. This impressive engagement led to over 2 million pounds of CO2 being offset, showcasing the power of combining sustainable initiatives with customer participation​.

          

How To Offer Carbon Offsets For Flights

Integrating carbon offsetting into your flight booking platform can be a seamless process with EcoCart’s API, which automates the calculation of carbon emissions for each flight. This API factors in essential details like distance, aircraft type, and load factor, offering a precise carbon footprint for each journey. 

EcoCart then helps identify credible offsetting projects, from reforestation to renewable energy, ensuring your offsets contribute to verified environmental benefits. Finally, it streamlines this option into your checkout process, allowing customers to easily support these projects, enhancing user experience and your brand’s commitment to sustainability.

Tips For Making Flights More Environmentally Friendly

Flying doesn’t have to be so hard on the Earth. With a few simple tips, you can make your flight more environmentally friendly.

There are some other helpful ways to reduce your carbon footprint beyond buying carbon offsets. Booking non-stop flights, choosing to fly economy, and flying on eco-friendly airlines all help to reduce the carbon footprint of flying vs driving.

Let’s take a look at some of these tips to make flying more environmentally friendly.

Prioritize Non-stop Flights  

Booking a layover might seem like the way to go, but that extra stop could come with an environmental cost. Planes use more fuel during take off and landing, so every transfer bumps up the carbon footprint of your trip. 

Try prioritizing direct flights, if you can – or pick transfers in major cities along the same route for less hassle (like laying over in Chicago on your way from LA to Rochester, NY rather than in Virginia or North Carolina).

By being more deliberate when offering your travel plans, you can significantly reduce the carbon emissions emitted into the environment.

Prioritize A Full Economy Class 

A full economy class means there’s less fuel being used per passenger which lowers the co2 emissions per flight per person. Which is awesome since it’s us human people who are responsible for damn near all the greenhouse gas emissions of the past 150 years. Cars weren’t even invented that far back. People flying was a laughable joke. That’s a century and a half of environmental harm that you’re doing your part to reduce by sacrificing legroom for more trees in the Amazon.  

Offering discounts, rewards, or other incentives for booking seats in economy class will help consolidate bookings and emit fewer emissions per person.

Prioritize Eco Friendly Airlines

Choosing an eco-friendly airline is a great way to reduce each flier’s carbon footprint. When deciding which airlines to prioritize, look for those that have a fleet of newer, mid-size planes and routinely operate fully booked flights. These are indicators that a company is committed to reducing their carbon emissions. 

Common Questions About Carbon Offsetting Flights

How do you calculate your carbon footprint from flying?

If your chosen airline does not allow you to carbon offset flights at checkout, then you can start by calculating the greenhouse gas emissions of your flight using online carbon calculators provided by organizations like Atmosfair or MyClimate.

Where can I shop for a carbon offsetting project?

Once you know how many tonnes of carbon you have contributed to the atmosphere, you can buy carbon offsets for that amount. Most carbon offset projects price per tonne of carbon produced. Choose a carbon offset project certified by reputable carbon standards such as Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard. These projects range from renewable energy initiatives to reforestation efforts, effectively compensating for the emissions produced during your flight.

For example: 

• Gold Standard is one of the most reputable carbon offset programs globally, recognized for its stringent certification process that ensures projects not only mitigate carbon emissions but also contribute to sustainable development goals. 
• Cool Effect has a widget that allows you to calculate your flight emissions and then offset those emissions by donating to one of their carbon projects.
• Terrapass lets you either make a one-time purchase or monthly subscription to purchase offsets from one of their sustainability projects.
• Climeworks offers a unique approach to carbon offsetting by specializing in direct air capture technology, which physically removes CO2 from the air and stores it safely underground. By subscribing to their service, you’re directly contributing to the reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide, complementing traditional offsetting methods.
• Tomorrow’s Air is a forward-thinking initiative that combines travel with climate action. By collaborating with Climeworks, Tomorrow’s Air enables travelers to clean the air of carbon dioxide through direct air capture technology.

Automate Buying Carbon Offsets For Flights

Incorporating carbon offsetting into your flight booking platform is a step towards sustainable travel, leveraging EcoCart’s API for accurate emission calculations, selecting verified environmental projects for offsets, and integrating this eco-conscious choice directly into the customer checkout experience. This not only enhances your platform’s user experience but also positions your brand as a leader in corporate environmental responsibility. Ready to make a positive impact on the planet and your business? Request a demo with EcoCart today and embark on your journey towards a greener future.