Environmental responsibility
SWISS is well aware of its responsibilities towards the environment and future generations, and firmly focusses on environmental issues and considerations as part of its wide-ranging sustainability strategy.
Our CO₂ reduction strategy
Decarbonizing aviation is a significant challenge for the industry and requires the development and scaling up of numerous new technologies. SWISS and the Lufthansa Group are implementing comprehensive measures that contribute to lower-emission air transport. These include fleet renewal, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and operational efficiency measures, supplemented by investments in high-quality climate protection projects and active CO2 removal from the atmosphere.
SWISS aligns its CO2 strategy with the roadmap of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and works closely with customers and industry stakeholders to advance the technologies and solutions required for the transformation of aviation. Sustainable Aviation Fuels will play a crucial role in this transition and consist of a combination of biogenic and synthetic fuels, known as power-to-liquid fuels.
SWISS, together with the Lufthansa Group, is driving the development and scale-up of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as a key lever for reducing aviation emissions. At the same time, SWISS is investing in next-generation technologies, particularly through the continuous renewal of its fleet with significantly more fuel-efficient aircraft, while further optimizing flight operations to minimize fuel consumption.
According to the aviation industry's CO2 reduction roadmap, emerging technologies such as electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft are expected to contribute to decarbonization in the long term, primarily on short-haul routes. However, decarbonizing aviation will also require both nature-based and technological carbon removal solutions that permanently remove CO2 from the atmosphere to address residual emissions.
SWISS is aware that the climate impact of aviation is not limited to CO2 emissions alone. Together with the Lufthansa Group, SWISS participates in research projects that investigate the impact of non-CO2-emissions and explore potential mitigation measures. SWISS also supports initiatives aimed at further advancing the industry’s understanding of these effects.
Ground operations represent another important area for reducing environmental impacts. SWISS continuously works to reduce the environmental impact of its ground activities through greater operational efficiency and the increased use of lower-emission technologies. Since 2019, all electricity used for SWISS ground operations in Switzerland has been sourced from renewable energy.
Further Information on the measures in the SWISS CO2 Reduction Strategy
In addition to saving CO2 emissions in flight operations, SWISS is committed to improving its environmental scorecard in further areas.
Where our flight operations stand today
SWISS has successfully reduced its specific fuel consumption – expressed in litres of kerosene used to transport a passenger over a distance of 100 km – by 27% from 2003 to 2025. The specific fuel consumption for the transport of a passenger over 100 kilometres was 3.21 litres in 2025. This corresponds to 80 grams of CO2 per passenger kilometre. By comparison, the average CO2 emissions of new passenger cars are approx. 130 g/km in Switzerland.
