Ameer Randolph
The airline industry's fuel usage is a pressing topic, given the current focus on sustainability and climate change. The aviation industry's fuel consumption is vast, with jet airliners becoming 70% more fuel-efficient between 1967 and 2007. Despite this, a Boeing 747 quadjet burns up to one gallon of fuel per second, highlighting the enormous fuel requirements of the airline industry. In 2019, global fuel consumption by commercial airlines reached an all-time high of 95 billion gallons, but the pandemic caused a significant drop to 52 billion gallons in 2020. While fuel usage rebounded in 2022, rising to 77 billion gallons, it still fell short of pre-pandemic levels. Fuel prices have also surged, with a similar fuel volume in 2023 costing 43% more than in 2019. These price hikes have been attributed to the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
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What You'll Learn
Jet aircraft fuel efficiency
The jet age saw rapid improvements in fuel efficiency, with gains of 55-67% from 1960 to 1980 and a further 20-26% from 1980 to 2000. This trend continued, and between 1967 and 2007, jet airliners became 70% more fuel-efficient, with 40% attributed to engine efficiency improvements and 30% from airframe enhancements. From 1968 to 2014, the average fuel burn of new aircraft decreased by 45%, resulting in a compounded annual reduction of 1.3% with a variable reduction rate.
Several factors contribute to improving jet aircraft fuel efficiency. Firstly, wingtip devices, such as wingtip fences and Sharklet blended-winglets, increase the effective wing aspect ratio, reducing lift-induced drag and enhancing the lift-to-drag ratio. Secondly, newer aircraft designs, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350, and Bombardier CSeries, offer 20% better fuel efficiency per passenger kilometre than their predecessors. Thirdly, turboprop aircraft like the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400, used as regional airliners, have better fuel efficiency than current jet airliners due to their propellers.
While the aviation industry has made progress, jet aircraft still consume a considerable amount of fuel. The largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, consumes approximately 4,600 gallons of fuel per hour, translating to 23,000 gallons for a five-hour flight. The Boeing 747 quadjet burns up to one gallon of fuel every second, resulting in 18,000 gallons burned during a five-hour flight. However, it's important to consider the number of passengers carried by these aircraft, with the Boeing 747 accommodating up to 568 passengers. When passenger load is taken into account, a Boeing 747 achieves 100 miles to the gallon for every passenger.
Looking at industry-wide fuel consumption, commercial airlines worldwide reached a peak of 95 billion gallons in 2019. The pandemic caused a significant drop to 52 billion gallons in 2020, but fuel consumption rebounded to an estimated 77 billion gallons in 2022, approaching pre-pandemic levels.
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Fuel costs
The amount of fuel used by an aircraft depends on several factors, including the aircraft's empty weight, payload, engine efficiency, flight path, and weather conditions. A Boeing 747 quadjet, for example, burns up to one gallon of fuel per second, resulting in 18,000 gallons of fuel burned during a five-hour flight. The Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft, consumes slightly more fuel due to its higher capacity.
Newer aircraft are more fuel-efficient, with jet airliners becoming 70% more fuel-efficient between 1967 and 2007. Improvements in engine efficiency and airframes have contributed to this increase in efficiency. Airbus states that their A380 aircraft has a fuel consumption rate of less than 3 litres per 100 kilometres per passenger.
The fuel economy of an aircraft is measured by its transport energy efficiency. Fuel efficiency can be improved by optimising aerodynamics, reducing weight, and improving engine brake-specific fuel consumption and propulsive efficiency or thrust-specific fuel consumption. Operating at optimum altitudes also improves fuel economy.
While take-off is the most intense point of a flight in terms of fuel consumption, it contributes a relatively small fraction to the total fuel usage. The amount of fuel burned during taxiing, take-off, climb, cruise, approach, and taxi in varies depending on the length of the flight. For longer flights, cruising typically accounts for a more significant proportion of total fuel burn.
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Fuel burn
The fuel economy of an aircraft is a measure of its transport energy efficiency. Better aerodynamics, reduced weight, improved engine brake-specific fuel consumption, and higher altitudes contribute to increased fuel efficiency. The average fuel burn of new aircraft witnessed a significant 45% decrease from 1968 to 2014, translating to a compounded annual reduction of 1.3%.
Jet airliners have also become significantly more fuel-efficient over the years. Between 1967 and 2007, they achieved a 70% improvement in fuel efficiency, with a 40% improvement in engine efficiency and a 30% gain from airframes. Newer aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350, and Bombardier CSeries, are 20% more fuel-efficient per passenger kilometre than their predecessors.
However, some aircraft have exceptionally high fuel consumption rates. For instance, the Boeing 747 quadjet burns up to one gallon of fuel per second, resulting in 18,000 gallons of fuel burnt during a five-hour flight. The Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft, consumes even more fuel due to its higher capacity.
The airline industry's fuel consumption varies annually and is influenced by factors such as the number of flights, aircraft fuel efficiency, and global events. In 2019, global fuel consumption by commercial airlines peaked at 95 billion gallons. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, consumption dropped to 52 billion gallons in 2020. As the industry recovered, consumption rose again, reaching 77 billion gallons in 2022 and was projected to increase further in 2023 and 2024.
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Fuel usage during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the airline industry, with both domestic and international air travel facing severe restrictions for extended periods in 2020 and 2021. These restrictions, including border closures and quarantine requirements, led to a substantial decrease in air travel demand and, consequently, a notable reduction in airliner fuel consumption.
In March 2020, airliner fuel consumption decreased by 30.68%, followed by a further plummet from April through June, with May experiencing the most significant drop of 249.27%. Overall, airlines consumed about 5.4 billion gallons of fuel by June 2020, a remarkable 70.36% less than the almost 18.3 billion gallons consumed in the entirety of 2019. This drastic decline in fuel consumption reflects the profound impact of the pandemic on the airline industry, with massive losses incurred by airlines.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) estimated that during the first half of 2020, there would be a significant reduction of 47% to 58% in the number of seats offered by airlines, impacting 503 to 607 million passengers and potentially resulting in a loss of operating revenues of 112 to 135 billion USD. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) projected a sluggish growth trajectory for the latter half of 2020, anticipating an overall reduction of 48% in Revenue-Passenger-Kilometres (RPKs) and a 55% decline in passenger revenues for the year.
While jet fuel prices declined at the pandemic's onset, they subsequently surged due to inflationary pressures and the Ukraine-Russia conflict. This volatility in fuel prices poses challenges for the long-term planning of air operations, emphasizing the importance of fuel efficiency in aircraft design. Additionally, the pandemic prompted a broader shift towards cleaner and renewable energy sources, potentially impacting the airline industry's fuel landscape in the long term.
The aviation industry has struggled to recover from the impact of COVID-19, facing challenges such as staffing shortages and rising fuel costs. The road to recovery is expected to be slow, with more than 50% of passengers stating that they plan to wait at least six months after the pandemic subsides before resuming travel.
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Fuel economy
The average fuel burn of new aircraft fell 45% from 1968 to 2014, a compounded annual reduction of 1.3% with a variable reduction rate. Jet airliners became 70% more fuel-efficient between 1967 and 2007, with 40% of these efficiency gains due to improvements in engine efficiency and 30% from airframes. Newer aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350, and Bombardier CSeries are 20% more fuel-efficient per passenger kilometre than previous-generation aircraft. Airbus has patented aircraft designs with twin rear-mounted counter-rotating propfans for improved engine/airframe efficiency.
Fuel usage and spending by the global airline industry plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic but rose again in 2022. Fuel use for all airlines worldwide rose to 77 billion gallons in 2022, up 48% from 2020 but still 20% below pre-pandemic levels. Fuel prices have also increased, with a similar fuel volume in 2023 costing 43% more than in 2019. These increases are attributed to the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Palestine, which drove up prices of commodities linked to petroleum and natural gas.
The amount of fuel burned by an aircraft depends on various factors, including the aircraft's empty weight, carried payload, engine efficiency, flight path, and weather conditions. For example, a Boeing 747 quadjet burns up to one gallon of fuel every second, resulting in 18,000 gallons of fuel burned during a five-hour flight. The largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, consumes slightly more fuel due to its higher capacity, with a typical A380 consuming 4,600 gallons of fuel each hour and approximately 23,000 gallons during a five-hour flight. However, when considering the number of passengers onboard, a Boeing 747 burns only 0.01 gallons per person per mile travelled.
Fuel burn data shows that between 2% and 17% of fuel burned occurs during taxi out or taxi in activities, with shorter flights burning a proportionally higher amount of fuel during these activities. The shortest flights may use more fuel for taxiing than for taking off. For longer flights, such as to Dubai or Hong Kong, cruising can account for up to 95-96% of total fuel burned.
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Frequently asked questions
The global fuel consumption of commercial airlines reached an all-time high of 95 billion gallons in 2019. However, due to the pandemic, consumption dropped to 52 billion gallons in 2020. As of 2022, fuel usage rose to 77 billion gallons, and it is estimated that usage will return to 2019 levels in 2023.
A jet aircraft uses a large amount of fuel. For example, a Boeing 747 quadjet burns up to one gallon of fuel per second. During a five-hour flight, this amounts to 18,000 gallons of fuel. The Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft, consumes approximately 23,000 gallons of jet fuel for a five-hour flight.
Airlines can improve fuel efficiency by reducing weight, improving aerodynamics, and enhancing engine brake-specific fuel consumption and propulsive efficiency. Additionally, newer aircraft are more fuel-efficient, and airlines can adopt electric motors for ground movements to reduce fuel burn during taxiing.
