While most people think driving a car is better for the environment than flying in an airplane, that's not necessarily true because airplane engines are getting much more efficient.
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A Boeing 747 filled with passengers to only 75 percent capacity is more fuel-efficient than an automobile with a driver and one passenger in terms of fuel burn per passenger mile. Hard to believe, isn't it?
Airplanes are fast and efficient because they can operate in a low friction environment. There are no wheels (at least in flight) that have to be constantly be rolled over the ground, and at higher altitude the air is thinner which reduces air drag dramatically.
When an airplane experiences less drag, it consumes less fuel. This relationship between speed and fuel consumption means that flying at a slightly slower speed can result in significant fuel savings for airlines, which in turn can lower operating costs and potentially reduce ticket prices for passengers.
Also known as the Queen of the Skies, the 747 boasts a maximum fuel capacity of 63,000 gallons with slight variations between models. With today's fuel prices, it costs about $450,000 to fill up a Boeing 747, depending on your market.
Airfare should be less affected by high fuel prices than gas-powered road trips. Driving could still be best over short distances or with a large group. Keep the high cost of renting a car (to drive to your destination or when you arrive after a flight) in mind.
The luxury sports car brand Bugatti received the highest NEDC with an average of 0.52 kg/km — much higher than any other brand. In second place was Rolls Royce with 0.35 kg/km, followed by Lamborghini and Ferrari with similar NEDC data. But vehicles don't have to be expensive to produce high levels of pollution.
If you just want something simple, just look up the average fuel consumption for the aircraft type (in gallons per hour), and multiply that by the duration of the flight. Although airlines have more sophisticated tools to plan refuelling, this is how GA pilots estimate how much fuel there should be in the tank.
On average, aircraft fill up with an estimated 3,500 gallons of jet fuel, costing an estimated $7,070. However, price can vary from $4,040 on the low end to $14,140 on the high end.
If you consider efficiency from an environmental point of view and define it as CO2 emissions per passenger per km, then the train is way more efficient than the plane.