Can you imagine what might a journey, e.g., from New Zealand to Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Olympics, look like? In particular, where will aviation be on the road to net zero, and what differences will passengers notice?

In our new report ‘The Rise of Green Travel’, we track a hypothetical journey from Hamilton, New Zealand to Long Beach, California in early July 2028, just before the Summer Olympics, and highlight the potential developments likely to revolutionise aviation in the next five years.

The report also features major advancements expected to impact aviation in the next five years, including the rise of eVTOLs, Regional Air Mobility, and innovations onboard aircraft and at airports – you can read it for free here.

Aviation will see a series of developments by 2028

On long-haul flights, things won’t be much different than they are today.

The supply of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will have increased with a number of new facilities coming on stream between now and 2028.

Additionally, with more emphasis being put on the sustainable cabin, passengers can expect to see a greener passenger experience, including amenity kits made from sustainable materials and the phasing out of single-use plastics.

However, a more noticeable difference will be in shorter regional aviation:

• eVTOLs or ‘air taxis’

eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) or ‘air taxis’ will likely become as cheap and ubiquitous as ride-sharing services. Notwithstanding variations in technology, these aircraft can be expected to carry anywhere from two to six passengers up to a range of 100-200 miles on a single charge.

• Regional Air Mobility

Regional Air Mobility (RAM) will have undergone a revolution and we might see low- and zero-emission aircraft in our skies.

• Sustainable Airport design

Airports infrastructure will become more sustainable to include carbon-capturing runways, energy-efficient buildings and renewable energy electricity grids.

• Batteries

Battery technology will have evolved to make electric flights a reality.

• Cabin Design

Circularity will be embedded into the in-cabin experience. New materials will be used in everything from amenity kits to catering supplies.

Read the full ‘The Rise of Green Travel (2023-2028)’ report for free here.

Sustainability stories worth reading

The Rise Of Eco-Litigation. Important Lessons From What’s Happening In The Netherlands (SimpliFlying)

Proposed Jet Fuel Can Pull Carbon From The Air, Researchers Say (Aviation Week)

Wizz Air Bets On Neste Sustainable Aviation Fuel To Further Reduce Emissions (Simple Flying)

Airbus To Start Assembling Its eVTOL, Delays First Flight Until 2024 (AeroTime Hub)

Schiphol Wants To Slash Private Flights By Half To Cut Down On Noise Pollution (NL Times)

Scientists Pour Cold Water On UK Aviation’s Net Zero Ambitions (The Guardian)