A carbon-neutral flight ensures that the carbon emissions produced are counterbalanced through a formal offset process.
Every flight burns jet fuel, releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. To neutralize this impact, private jet clients can participate in carbon offset programs, purchasing carbon credits that balance out the emissions from their travel.
For instance, you could pay a company to plant trees for each of your flights. The environmental benefits of these trees make your flights effectively carbon-neutral. Many organizations will even provide a certificate to confirm this offset.
Offsetting carbon emissions is quite affordable. Offsetting a one-way flight from New York to Los Angeles on a Citation X with 8 passengers costs about $174. A smaller jet flying a shorter route, like from New York to Miami with six passengers, costs around $52.
Does paying for carbon-neutral flights mean tree planting?
Tree planting is one method among many in carbon offset programs aimed at reducing CO2. Instead of or in addition to tree planting, you might be contributing to rainforest conservation, reducing methane emissions, improving factory processes to cut CO2 output, or funding renewable energy projects like solar and wind farms.
If you have a specific preference for how your carbon offsets are used, most programs allow you to choose your preferred method.