Since the introduction of commercial jets in the 1960s, the industry has reduced fuel use and emissions per journey by 80%, mainly due to more efficient engines, improved aerodynamics and lighter-weight materials and components.
The impact: Improving fuel efficiency is essential for reaching industry commitments, and fuel used per flight could decrease about 35–40% by 2050.
The takeaway: Because fuel efficiency alone is not sufficient to reach industry aspirations for net zero, aviation will need to evaluate low-carbon fuels and other strategies to limit emissions.
What is fuel efficiency?
Fuel efficiency measures how much fuel is required to transport a given amount of passengers or cargo over a given distance.
In aviation, this is most commonly expressed as:
- Liters per 100 revenue tonne kilometers (L‑eq/100RTK)
- Liters per 100 revenue passenger kilometers (L‑eq/100RPK)
There are two ways to improve fuel efficiency — flying newer aircraft and operating them more efficiently.
