Lufthansa's Green Fares take flight as air travelers show they're prepared to pay more

In February 2023, Lufthansa Group launched Green Fares, the world's first flight fare that incorporates CO2 emission offsets, in a step towards reducing the environmental harm done by air travel. One hundred days after introducing the new fare type, Lufthansa announced that 200,000 passengers have already opted to pay more, with the highest number of Green Fares booked by those flying SWISS on the Zurich to London route.

While most airlines offer carbon offsetting as an add-on that customers can select while booking a flight, airlines within the Lufthansa Group are the first to bring a more responsible option to the front of the booking process. Green Fares aren't extras but standalone fares that are bookable alongside standard Economy and Business. The price difference varies by route and airline, but on the flights we checked, Economy Green tickets were around EUR 50–60 more expensive than Economy Light.

To entice customers to choose green(er), the airline group offers a few bonus benefits: flexible rebooking at no charge, plus 20% extra status and award miles on European routes. How exactly are a flight's CO2 emissions compensated? A fifth is offset by blending Sustainable Aviation Fuels with traditional jet fuel, and the remainder through contributions to 'high-quality climate protection projects.'