ZERO-EMISSION, electrically powered commercial aircraft remain largely conceptual, but sustainability is already reshaping how people travel. From airports and airlines to hotels and resorts, environmental responsibility has moved from a novelty to a business imperative, cutting costs and appealing to increasingly eco-aware travelers.
“The aviation industry is leading this effort for the built environment,” says Pat Askew, principal and aviation director at HKS, an architectural firm involved in airport projects worldwide, including the renovation of Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport. “Every airport terminal is being designed now to be environmentally conscious and responsible.”
Some airports have embraced sustainability for years. The Galápagos Ecological Airport, opened in 2012, runs entirely on solar and wind power, reflecting its fragile island context. It is one of 44 airports worldwide that achieved carbon-neutral status, according to Airport Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation program (2017–2018).
In the United States, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport stands out as the country’s only fully carbon-neutral airport. Between 2010 and 2017 DFW reduced carbon emissions by 29 percent and cut energy use by 38 percent, even as passenger numbers rose by 15 percent. Major gains came from smarter controls for lighting, heating and cooling, along with operational changes such as circulating cold water through terminal piping overnight instead of running full air-conditioning systems.
Sustainability isn’t limited to the largest hubs. TAG Farnborough, a private business airport near London, became the first certified carbon-neutral airport in 2018. Measures there and at other eco-conscious airports include converting incandescent and high-energy lighting to LEDs, switching ground service fleets to electric vehicles and encouraging staff to use bicycles to move between buildings.
Singapore Changi Airport’s Green Wall © SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT
New and renovated terminals are often built with ecological features integrated into their design. Singapore Changi’s expanded Terminal 4 now includes a “Green Wall” of more than 100,000 plants; its mist-watering system helps moderate indoor temperatures while providing a striking visual centerpiece. Oslo Airport’s expanded terminal uses recycled steel and even stores winter snow to cool the facility in summer, taking advantage of Norway’s climate.
Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport, scheduled for completion in 2022, was designed to lower energy use while increasing capacity. Askew notes the project reduces energy consumption by about 50 percent while accommodating 10 million additional passengers annually. Strategies include diffused air and radiant heating and cooling systems that save electricity and gas, reduce mechanical noise and enhance passenger comfort.
Hotels have followed suit with widespread changes in operations and guest services. In 2018 major chains such as IHG, Marriott, Hilton and InterContinental pledged to eliminate plastic straws and, in many cases, other single-use plastics. Substitutes vary from paper to edible straws; Hilton properties have tested options made from pasta, seaweed and lemongrass. The Canopy Hotel in Portland installed water refill stations on every floor, saving an estimated 30,000 plastic bottles since opening.
For many hoteliers, removing plastic straws is just a first step. Ewald Biemans, owner of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort in Aruba—the first carbon-neutral resort in North America—says a comprehensive approach is essential. Hotels should implement nonreusable-plastic policies, focus on emissions reductions, cut energy use, and reduce the waste stream. Bucuti & Tara reduced food waste by 30 percent and donates excess to local farmers.
Aruba’s Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort was the first carbon-neutral resort in North America © BUCUTI AND TARA BEACH RESORT
Practical guest incentives also promote conservation. Hotel Valencia Santana Row’s Green for Green program credits guests who skip daily linen changes, rewarding longer-stay visitors with a discount for each day they decline housekeeping. Many boutique and lifestyle brands emphasize sustainability as part of their identity: 1 Hotels, for example, markets luxury with an eco-conscious ethos, aiming to show travelers they can “live well, do good and connect” with their surroundings.
Large chains are setting ambitious targets. Hilton announced plans to halve its environmental footprint and double social impact investments by 2030, aiming to cut carbon emissions by 61 percent and reduce water use and waste by 50 percent. The company also supports expanded reuse programs, including soap recycling to prevent usable bars from reaching landfills.
Reducing food waste is another focus. The Hotel Kitchen Toolkit, developed by the World Wildlife Fund with the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the Rockefeller Foundation, provides best practices that helped pilot hotels cut food costs and reduce food waste by up to 38 percent. Across the industry, such measures aim to chip away at the tens of millions of tons of food wasted each year.
Sustainability now extends to sourcing: restaurants like Urbana at Kimpton Hotel Palomar in Washington, D.C., serve only seafood recommended by Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. Observers such as Bret Love of Green Global Travel say truly holistic sustainability must move beyond LEED certification to consider local community impacts, cultural heritage and broader social and economic benefits, as emphasized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
For travelers seeking authentic green hotels, certifications like Green Globe and visible investments such as solar panels are useful signals. Biemans suggests a fully green hotel should combine energy management systems, staff training, significant on-site renewable energy production, waste management programs, community engagement and robust food safety and waste reduction practices. Achieving carbon neutrality is a milestone, but continued effort is needed to help mitigate climate change across the industry.
When it comes to airlines and aviation, progress has been slower. While improvements in fuel efficiency—about a 10 percent gain from 2009 to 2016 and newer aircraft roughly 20 percent more efficient than predecessors—are meaningful, overall CO2 emissions remain elevated as air travel grows. Biofuel flights and experimental technologies show promise: Virgin Atlantic operated a biofuel flight in 2008, but widespread hybrid or zero-emission airliners are not expected until at least the 2030s.
Airlines have nonetheless adopted smaller but tangible changes. In 2018 Delta moved to replace plastic stirrers and straws with bamboo and birch alternatives and to offer them only on request. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines made similar switches. Hi Fly, a Portuguese carrier, announced plans to eliminate disposable plastics entirely. Other creative initiatives include blankets and accessories made from recycled plastic bottles, old uniforms repurposed into travel goods, and bags produced from recycled seat leather.
Across airports, hotels and airlines, the trend is clear: sustainability is becoming standard practice rather than an optional add-on. While major technical breakthroughs—like zero-emission planes—may still be years away, many everyday changes are already reducing environmental impact, lowering costs and meeting customer demand for greener travel options.