Regan Brown
The amount of fuel used per person on a flight depends on a variety of factors, including the type of aircraft, the number of passengers, the distance travelled, the weight of the payload, the efficiency of the engines, the flight path, and weather conditions. For example, a Boeing 747 uses approximately 1 gallon (4 litres) of fuel every second, or 36,000 gallons (150,000 litres) over a 10-hour flight. However, when you consider that a 747 can carry up to 568 people, the fuel consumption per person is much lower, at 0.01 gallons (0.04 litres) per mile, or 100 miles per gallon (42 kilometres per litre). The Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft, consumes slightly more fuel than the 747 due to its higher capacity, with a fuel efficiency of around 4,600 gallons (11,400 litres) per hour. Fuel efficiency in aircraft can be improved by optimising aerodynamics, reducing weight, and improving engine performance, among other factors.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fuel efficiency | Depends on aircraft's empty weight, carried payload, efficiency of the engines, flight path, and weather conditions |
| Fuel efficiency improvement | Better aerodynamics, reduced weight, improved engine brake-specific fuel consumption, propulsive efficiency, and thrust-specific fuel consumption |
| Average fuel burn of new aircraft (from 1968 to 2014) | Decreased by 45% |
| Average fuel burn per passenger (in 2018) | 28 g of fuel per kilometre, or 3.5 L/100 km (67 mpg-US) |
| Fuel efficiency measurement | Revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) or passenger kilometres performed (PKP) |
| Fuel efficiency of low-cost airlines | Better due to higher filling rates and lower quantity of fuel used per passenger |
| Fuel efficiency of propeller planes vs jets | Propeller planes are more efficient, with an optimum speed of 460 mph (740 km/h) |
| Fuel efficiency of Airbus A380 | 4,600 gallons of fuel per hour |
| Fuel efficiency of Boeing 747 | 1 gallon (4 litres) of fuel per second, or 36,000 gallons (150,000 litres) for a 10-hour flight |
| Fuel efficiency of Airbus A350 | 38 lb of fuel per nautical mile, or 17,000 gallons for a flight between New York and London of 3,000 nautical miles |
| Fuel efficiency of Airbus A321neo | 0.683 litres of fuel per second, or 2,508 litres of fuel per hour |
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Fuel efficiency
The amount of fuel burned per seat-nautical mile is a critical factor for long-haul flights, as the extra weight of fuel required can limit the number of available seats. Aircraft efficiency can be improved by maximizing the lift-to-drag ratio, which is attained by minimizing parasitic drag and lift-generated induced drag, the two components of aerodynamic drag. Parasitic drag is constituted by form drag and skin-friction drag, and it grows with the square of the speed. Form drag can be minimized by having a small frontal area and streamlining the aircraft for a low drag coefficient, while skin friction can be reduced by maximizing laminar flow. Induced drag can be reduced by decreasing the size of the airframe, fuel and payload weight, and increasing the wing aspect ratio, or by using wingtip devices.
New technology can also help reduce engine fuel consumption, such as higher pressure and bypass ratios, geared turbofans, open rotors, and hybrid electric or fully electric propulsion. For example, a 2024 research project found that designing short to medium-range passenger aircraft for subsonic instead of transonic speed with turboprop instead of turbofan propulsion would save 21% of fuel compared to a conventionally designed aircraft.
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Fuel costs
The fuel efficiency of an aircraft is influenced by various factors, including the aircraft's aerodynamics, weight, engine efficiency, and propulsive efficiency or thrust-specific fuel consumption. Additionally, operational procedures like maintenance and routing can impact fuel consumption. The efficiency of an aircraft is often measured in litres per 100 kilometres per passenger or litres per 100 passenger kilometres (L/100PK).
The Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft, consumes approximately 4,600 gallons of fuel per hour, or about 1.3 gallons per second. In comparison, a brand-new car has an average consumption of 35 miles per gallon, which equates to burning 23,000 gallons of fuel to travel over three-quarters of a million miles. The fuel efficiency of an aircraft is also impacted by the load factor, which refers to the percentage of seats occupied. A higher load factor can result in improved fuel efficiency, as seen with low-cost airlines that typically have higher load factors and, consequently, lower fuel consumption per passenger.
The Boeing 747, another large aircraft, burns approximately 5 gallons of fuel per mile, or 0.01 gallons per person per mile if carrying 500 passengers. This equates to 100 miles per gallon per person, demonstrating that the fuel efficiency of an aircraft should also be considered in relation to the number of passengers it carries.
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Fuel consumption
The fuel efficiency of an airline depends on its fleet fuel burn, seating density, air cargo and passenger load factor, while operational procedures like maintenance and routing can also save fuel. For example, the average fuel burn of new aircraft fell by 45% from 1968 to 2014, a compounded annual reduction of 1.3% with a variable reduction rate.
The amount of fuel consumed by an aircraft also depends on several factors, including the aircraft's empty weight, carried payload, engine efficiency, flight path, and weather conditions. For instance, the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft, consumes about 4,600 gallons of fuel per hour, while the Boeing 747 burns approximately 5 gallons of fuel per mile (or 12 litres of fuel per kilometre).
When comparing the fuel efficiency of flying to that of driving, it is important to consider the number of passengers. For example, a car with two passengers driving from New York City to Los Angeles (2,797 miles) would consume 112 gallons of fuel, or 56 gallons per person. In comparison, a flight with 200 passengers travelling the same distance would use 5,325 gallons of fuel, or 27 gallons per person.
With sustainability and climate change becoming increasingly important, the high fuel consumption and associated CO2 emissions of aircraft are gaining more attention. Additionally, rising fuel prices due to factors such as the war in Ukraine have also impacted the aviation industry.
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Fuel economy
The efficiency of an airline depends on its fleet fuel burn, seating density, air cargo and passenger load factor. Operational procedures such as maintenance and routing can also help to save fuel. For example, the average fuel burn of new aircraft fell by 45% from 1968 to 2014, a compounded annual reduction of 1.3%.
The amount of fuel burnt per seat-nautical mile is a critical factor for airlines, especially on very long non-stop flights, which may have to limit the number of available seats to compensate for the weight penalty of extra fuel. The fuel efficiency of an airline can be measured by comparing its production (i.e. the number of passengers transported multiplied by the distance) to the quantity of fuel burnt.
Low-cost airlines tend to have better fuel efficiency due to their higher filling rates, resulting in a lower quantity of fuel used per passenger. For example, a medium-haul flight of 2 hours on a narrow-body aircraft with 200 seats will have an efficiency of around 3.5l per 100 passenger-kilometres for an 80% load factor, which improves to 3.15l per 100 passenger-kilometres at a 90% load factor.
As an example of fuel economy, the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft, consumes 4,600 gallons of fuel per hour, or approximately 23,000 gallons for a 5-hour flight. This is about 1.3 gallons per second.
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Sustainable aviation fuel
The amount of fuel used by an aircraft varies depending on several factors, including the aircraft's empty weight, payload, engine efficiency, flight path, and weather conditions. For example, the Boeing 747 uses approximately 1 gallon (4 litres) of fuel every second, burning 36,000 gallons (150,000 litres) of fuel over a 10-hour flight. On the other hand, the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft, consumes 4,600 gallons of fuel per hour, totalling 23,000 gallons for a 5-hour flight.
The aviation industry is under increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint and transition to more sustainable practices. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a liquid fuel currently used in commercial aviation that reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80%. SAF is considered sustainable because its raw feedstock does not compete with food crops or water supplies and is not responsible for forest degradation. SAF can be produced from various sources, including waste oils and fats, green and municipal waste, non-food crops, and carbon-rich waste gases. Additionally, SAF can be produced synthetically by capturing carbon directly from the air.
SAF offers multiple benefits, including engine and infrastructure compatibility, fewer emissions, and more flexibility in feedstock and production technologies. SAF can be used in existing aircraft and infrastructure when blended with conventional Jet A fuel. Compared to conventional jet fuel, 100% SAF has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 94%, depending on feedstock and technology pathway. The flexibility of SAF allows for multiple products from various feedstocks, including food and yard waste, woody biomass, fats, greases, and oils.
To meet the aviation industry's goal of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, a massive increase in SAF production is required. Government policies and incentives will play a crucial role in accelerating the deployment of SAF. As SAF is in the early stages of market development, mandates should be complemented with incentive programs to facilitate innovation, scale-up, and unit cost reduction. Expanding domestic SAF production can also create new economic opportunities, improve the environment, and boost aircraft performance.
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Frequently asked questions
A plane like the Boeing 747 uses approximately 1 gallon (about 4 litres) of fuel every second. Over a 10-hour flight, it might burn 36,000 gallons (150,000 litres) of fuel. The 747 can carry 568 people, so that's 0.01 gallons per person per mile, or 100 miles per gallon per person.
The typical car gets about 25 miles per gallon. Flying from New York City to Los Angeles would take 2,797 miles or 112 gallons of gas. With two passengers, that's 56 gallons per person. Flying the same route in a plane would take about 6 hours and use 5,325 gallons of jet fuel. Assuming 200 people on the flight, that's 27 gallons of fuel per person.
Fuel efficiency can be defined as the amount of energy imparted to the plane per unit of energy in the fuel. The load factor, or percentage of seats occupied, impacts fuel efficiency. For example, a medium-haul flight with a 200-seat plane will have an efficiency of 3.5l per 100 passenger-kilometres for an 80% load factor, but this would improve to 3.15l per 100 passenger-kilometres with a 90% load factor.
