Ever wonder how much fuel long-haul flights consume? There’s a strong correlation between fuel consumption of an airplane and flight length. The longer the flight length — the distance an airplane flies — the more fuel the airplane will consume.
Overview of Long-Haul Flight
Long-haul flights are characterized by a long flight length. While there’s no universal definition for the term, they typically involve direct or nonstop flights lasting over six hours and spanning over 3,000 miles. Short-haul flights, on the other hand, typically span less than 700 miles. With their longer flight length, long-haul flights consume more fuel than short-haul flights.
Thousands of Gallons
Long-haul flights generally consume thousands of gallons of fuel. The Boeing 747 burns about 1 gallon of fuel per second of flight. Over the course of an eight-hour long-haul flight, that’s 28,800 gallons of fuel consumed. The Airbus A380, in comparison, burns about 0.65 gallons of fuel per second, resulting in 18,720 gallons of fuel consumed. Regardless, as the flight length increases, so does fuel consumption.
Long-Haul Flights Are Efficient
While they consume a lot of fuel, long-haul flights are far more efficient than short-haul flights. This is because they have a longer cruise phase of flight. The cruise phase, of course, occurs after an airplane has taken off and ascended to level flight. With short-haul flights, airplanes spend a lot of time taking off and climbing and less time cruising. As a result, short-haul flights are less fuel efficient than long-haul flights.
The Importance of Fuel Efficiency
Commercial airlines pay close attention to fuel consumption. Research shows that fuel is the second-largest expense for commercial airlines, surpassed only by labor. By maximizing fuel efficiency, commercial airlines can save money on flights and, ultimately, boost their profits.
Commercial aviation is already considered a low-margin industry. The global net profit per passenger is typically around $5. With such low profit margins, commercial airlines must do everything they can to cut costs. By cutting fuel costs by just 1%, they can often save millions of dollars per year.
In Conclusion
Fuel consumption is an important consideration for all flights. While long-haul flights may consume tens of thousands of gallons, they are often more fuel-efficient per mile and per passenger than short-haul flights. For airlines operating on thin margins, even modest improvements in efficiency can lead to big savings.
