More and more people are asking themselves how they can travel more sustainably and cause less harm to the environment. While price and schedule may still be the deciding factors when it comes to purchasing airline tickets, more eco-friendly options are sneaking up as a consideration when it comes to choosing an airline. According to Air Transport World (ATW), the most environmentally friendly airline you can travel with in 2023 is American Airlines.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, sustainability and decarbonization have sailed up as the main characterizing quests of the aviation industry going forward. Sometimes, it can be difficult to separate aspirations and announcements from actual impact. However, airlines are moving from wishful scenarios to interim targets with actionable goals.

Despite challenges with consistency across CO2 emission estimates, it is safe to say that certain pathways to reducing greenhouse gases in airline operations have been identified. The industry is generally in agreement that there is no silver bullet and that it will be an "and" rather than an "or" approach to get to net zero.

According to American's Chief Executive Officer, Robert Isom,

“American is actively incorporating sustainability at every level of our business, from the fuel we buy to the food we serve our customers. And our all-the-above approach is just getting started. As Eco-Airline of the Year, we will continue to lead the industry as an innovator in this space and affirm our unyielding commitment to build an American Airlines that will thrive forever.”

The award was selected by a panel of editors and analysts at ATW, Routes, Aviation Week and CAPA.

American Airlines Airbus A321neo
Photo: Bradley Caslin | Shutterstock

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What sets American apart?

American was the first airline in the world to receive validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its intermediate carbon emissions reduction goal. This means that it is certified as being in line with the goal of the Paris Agreement to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. The target submitted to the SBTi for review is to reduce carbon intensity by 45% by 2035, compared to a 2019 baseline.

While not the biggest investor in sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF (that achievement goes to United), American is one of the leading consumers, having used two million gallons of SAF in 2022 and doubled its usage year over year. The airline has agreements in place with Neste, Gevo, and Aemetis for more than 620 million gallons in total.

American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 N310RF (3)-3
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

About fuel efficiency

Other notable efforts include fleet renewal (supported by large orders for the A321neo family, the 737 MAX, and the 787 Dreamliner). This process has already helped the airline improve fuel efficiency by more than 10% since 2013, and today half of American's mainline carrier fleet is less than 10 years old.

Fuel efficiency is further enhanced by initiatives such as smart gating. This optimizes gate assignments at congested airports and is currently in use at Dallas-Forth Worth, Charlotte Douglas, and Miami international airports. According to the carrier's estimates, this saves 1.4 million gallons of fuel and 13,500 metric tons of CO2 per year.

How aware are you of the sustainability work of the airline you travel with? Leave a comment below and join the conversation.

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