The Carbon Footprint of Holiday Trips and How to Reduce It

Holiday travel restores energy and creates memories, but the emissions from planes, cars, hotels, and meals add up quickly. Your biggest carbon contributor is usually transportation, followed by where you stay, what you eat, and your daily activities. Lowering your travel footprint comes down to specific choices: how you get there, where you book your hotel, and what you do once you arrive.

What Creates Your Trip's Carbon Footprint

How far you travel and how you get there determine your emissions. Flying produces more emissions per passenger than taking a train or bus, especially on shorter routes where takeoff and climb burn a lot of fuel relative to the total flight time. Connecting flights make it worse because you're adding extra takeoffs and usually flying more miles.

Buses (at or near capacity of passengers) emit around 45–110 lbs CO2 per passenger over 1,000 miles. Electric trains average about 22–66 lbs for the same distance. Short-haul economy flights? Around 220–330 lbs CO2. Your seat choice matters too. Business class typically produces 2.5–3 times the emissions of economy because those seats take up more space, so fewer passengers are splitting the plane's fuel burn. First class can be 4–6 times the economy class emissions. Premium economy is around 1.5–1.6 times economy.

Here's something most travelers miss: taking two week-long trips produces higher combined emissions than one two-week trip, even though you get the same vacation days. Recent research from the University of Leeds found that trips over 50 miles make up less than 3% of all journeys but produce 70% of passenger travel emissions. International flights represent just 0.4% of trips but generate 55% of emissions.

Calculating What Your Trip Actually Produces

You'll want to estimate four things: transportation, lodging, food, and local activities. Tools like the ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator (for flights) and EPA's Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator (for driving) make this straightforward. U.S. government guidelines suggest adding 90% to flight emissions to account for aviation's other warming effects beyond just CO2—things like contrails, nitrogen oxides, and other high-altitude pollution. This uplift varies depending on your route and time of day. Night flights through ice-supersaturated air produce higher warming effects than daytime flights.

Example 1: New York to Miami, 6 Nights

Flying: A New York–Miami roundtrip in economy emits 520–600 lbs CO2. Add the 90% aviation uplift for non-CO2 effects and you're looking at about 990–1,140 lbs CO2e total climate impact. Newer planes like the A320neo or 737 MAX run 15–20% cleaner than older models, so which aircraft you get matters.

Taking the train: Amtrak's Silver Service emits 110–150 lbs CO2 for the full trip, cutting flight emissions by 70–80%. Travel time runs about 28 hours, which works if you have flexible timing but isn't practical for most people.

Driving: The 1,280-mile drive in a 30-mpg car produces about 850 lbs CO2. An EV charged on the average U.S. grid emits roughly 300–400 lbs depending on where you charge. For a family of four, driving produces about 213 lbs CO2 per person, which competes with short-haul flights.

Hotels: U.S. midscale properties average 11–44 lbs CO2e per room night. Coastal resorts running heavy air conditioning in summer can hit 88–132 lbs per night. Over six nights, you're adding roughly 66–264 lbs CO2e. Properties in milder climates or with efficient HVAC land at the lower end.

Food: Swap three or four beef meals (9–15 lbs CO2e each) for plant-forward options (1–2 lbs each) and you'll save up to 55 lbs CO2e across six nights. Food typically makes up 10–20% of total trip emissions but most travelers never think about it.

Your total: A flight-based trip lands around 586–864 lbs CO2 (flights only) or 1,056–1,404 lbs CO2e (with non-CO2 uplift) plus lodging and food.

Example 2: San Francisco to Honolulu, 10 Nights

Flying: SFO–HNL roundtrip averages 1,540–1,980 lbs CO2 in economy. With the uplift, that's 2,926–3,762 lbs CO2e. Nonstop flights beat connections through LAX or Seattle by 200–400 lbs because you skip the extra takeoff and usually cut 300–600 miles off your total routing.

Hotels: Ten nights range from 110–440 lbs CO2e. Hawaii properties with solar panels and efficient cooling sit at the lower end. Older beachfront resorts with constant air conditioning hit the higher end. HVAC demands shift dramatically by season—properties in extreme heat can produce 88 lbs CO2e per night in peak summer versus 18–26 lbs in shoulder seasons.

Food: Heavy meat-based vacation eating adds 220–330 lbs CO2e over 10 days. Plant-forward meals cut that by about 60%. Many Hawaii restaurants emphasize local, seasonal ingredients that further reduce transport-related emissions.

Bottom line: On long-haul trips, flights dominate your carbon footprint. Nonstop economy seats and longer stays that let you take fewer trips per year give you the biggest emission reductions.

How to Plan the Week Before You Book

1. Map out where you want to go to spot ways to combine destinations.
   
2. Check Google Maps, Amtrak, or Greyhound for different ways to get there.
   
3. Build three scenarios: all flights, hybrid (fly long routes and train or drive short ones), and maximize ground transport.
   
4. Calculate each option's emissions using ICAO for flights and EPA averages for driving.
   
5. Search for sustainable hotels and check certification databases like LEED or Green Key.
   
6. Add 10–20% to flight scenarios for local rideshares versus transit-accessible train arrivals that let you skip rental cars.
   

Comparing Ways to Get There: When Trains or Buses Work

For trips under 600 miles where Amtrak or good bus service runs, these options typically emit far less than flying. They work best where:

• Amtrak runs with reasonable frequency
  
• Door-to-door time stays competitive (remember airport security versus city-center train stations)
  
• You can work or relax onboard
  

Real examples:

• New York–Washington DC: Amtrak Acela takes 2h 45m versus 4+ hours airport-to-airport and cuts emissions by roughly 80%
  
• Chicago–Milwaukee: Amtrak Hiawatha ties on time and beats flying by 75% on emissions
  
• Los Angeles–San Francisco: Flying wins on time (1.5 hours versus 12 hours on Coast Starlight), but the train wins on carbon by about 85%
  

How much trains beat flying depends on your region's electricity grid. Northeast Corridor routes using electric locomotives on grids with nuclear, hydro, and renewables show the biggest gains. Long-distance Amtrak routes using diesel show smaller advantages but still typically beat flying by 40–60%.

When Driving Makes Sense

For trips with 2–4 people, driving can match or beat flying on per-passenger emissions, especially in an efficient hybrid or EV. A family of four driving 600 miles in a 35-mpg car produces about 170 lbs CO2 per person, competitive with short-haul flights. EVs charged on grids with significant renewable or nuclear power run 50–70% lower than gasoline. Even on coal-heavy grids, EVs typically match or slightly beat efficient gas cars on emissions.

Picking Hotels That Lower Your Impact

Your lodging usually runs smaller than flights but adds up across multiple nights. The simplest approach is choosing efficient buildings that use low-carbon energy and manage resources well. When you book through platforms like Dyme, you can compare hotels based on their sustainability credentials before making your choice.

Finding Real Emissions Data

• Search "[hotel name] sustainability report"—major chains like Marriott, Hilton, and IHG publish annual reports with per-night figures
  
• Check hotel websites for environmental certifications requiring disclosure (LEED Gold+, Green Key Level 5, ENERGY STAR)
  
• Email properties directly and ask for "CO2e per occupied room night"
  
• Use booking platforms with sustainability filters showing energy use
  

What to Look For

• Published energy performance or emissions per room night
  
• Renewable electricity from on-site solar or credible supply contracts
  
• Certified building or operations programs: LEED, Green Key, or ENERGY STAR
  
• Heat-pump systems in colder climates and efficient cooling in hotter climates
  
• Bulk amenities, water-saving fixtures, food-waste programs, and minimal single-use plastic
  

Understanding the Range

The 11–44 lbs CO2e range works for US mid-scale properties, but context matters. Desert resorts in Phoenix or Las Vegas with heavy summer air conditioning, properties with pools and extensive facilities, and older buildings can reach 88–132 lbs CO2e per night. Pacific Northwest properties with heat pumps on hydro-heavy grids can drop as low as 4–7 lbs per night. HVAC loads spike in temperature extremes. A Phoenix hotel in July can hit 88 lbs CO2e per night from cooling demands, while the same property in March might sit at 18–26 lbs. Shoulder seasons deliver lower emissions and better rates.

Why Location Matters When You Stay

Hotels next to light rail or subway let you skip short-haul flights or long drives and cut down on day-to-day car rentals. San Francisco properties near BART, Chicago hotels along the L, or Manhattan locations on the subway save you 100+ lbs CO2 over a week by eliminating rideshare trips. If you work remotely, reliable Wi-Fi and practical workspaces support longer stays that reduce how many trips you take each year.

Food Choices Add Up

Food typically contributes 10–20% of total trip emissions over a week, but most travelers never factor it in. Here's what moves the needle:

• One beef meal produces roughly 9–15 lbs CO2e; chicken or fish produces 2–4 lbs; plant-based produces 1–2 lbs
  
• Swap three or four beef meals for plant-forward options across a week and you'll save 33–55 lbs CO2e
  
• Local, seasonal produce cuts transport emissions significantly
  
• Food waste in hotels contributes substantially—only take what you'll actually eat at buffets
  

You don't need to eliminate meat entirely. Balance your week with several seasonal, vegetable-forward meals and you'll see measurable impact. Many U.S. cities now have farm-to-table restaurant scenes that emphasize local ingredients, making lower-carbon dining both accessible and appealing.

Getting Around At Your Destination

Your local transport and daily activities shape the rest of your footprint:

• Stay in transit-rich neighborhoods where most trips run by subway, light rail, bus, or streetcar
  
• Buy day or week passes to simplify travel and reduce per-trip costs
  
• Walk and cycle where routes are safe—cities like Portland, Minneapolis, Denver, and New York offer extensive bike share systems
  
• Group activities by neighborhood so you're not backtracking across town
  
• Bring a reusable bottle and use hotel refill stations
  
• Skip daily linen changes and take shorter showers, especially in water-stressed Western regions
  
• If you need a rental car, pick a hybrid or EV for the shortest period you need and combine errands into single routes
  

The Strategy Most Travelers Miss

Cutting down on how many long-distance trips you take each year produces major footprint reductions. Here's what that looks like for travelers based in Chicago:

• Two San Diego long weekends (4 nights each): roughly 1,100 lbs CO2e in flights
  
• One 8-night San Diego stay: roughly 550 lbs CO2e
  
• San Diego and LA combined by train over 10 days: about 660 lbs CO2e total, covering more cities for the same flight cost
  

When you extend trips, you also cut the per-day cost of long-distance transport. A 2-week national parks road trip in an efficient vehicle might cost the same total emissions as a single cross-country flight but gives you 14 days of travel instead of a long weekend.

What does 10 Pounds of CO2 look like?

Carbon emissions feel abstract until you picture them physically. Here's what 10 lbs of CO2 looks like:

Volume: At normal atmospheric pressure and room temperature, 10 lbs of CO2 fills about 2,290 liters or roughly 81 cubic feet. That's enough to fill 1,145 two-liter soda bottles, a small walk-in closet, or about 60 party balloons.

Trees: A mature tree absorbs about 48 lbs of CO2 per year, so 10 lbs takes roughly 77 days of absorption.

Everyday stuff: 10 lbs of CO2 equals driving about 44 miles in a 30-mpg gas car, running a refrigerator for about 10 days, or charging a smartphone fully 600 times.

Most U.S. cross-country flights generate emissions equal to what 16–20 trees absorb in a year. A New York to Miami flight produces emissions that take roughly 11 trees working for a full year to absorb.

Tools That Help You Reduce Your Travel Footprint

• ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator: For flight estimates
  
• EPA Greenhouse Gas Calculator: For driving and household activities
  
• Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking: For hotel emissions figures by region and segment
  
• Platforms like Dyme: Show emissions data for hotel bookings and help you identify sustainable properties
  

You can significantly lower your travel footprint by planning routes carefully, comparing transport modes, consolidating trips, picking efficient lodging near transit, and adjusting eating habits. Dyme invests in solar projects to improve hotel sustainability, and bookings at eco-friendly properties amplify environmental impact while delivering cost savings.