Looking to lower your carbon footprint this spring and summer travel season? Here are a few tips on how to lower your impact, while enjoying your vacation time from Hopper!
Fly Direct
Booking a non-stop flight to summer destinations can save both time and lower the environmental impact of your air travel!
On average flying nonstop will reduce a traveler’s carbon impact by >100KG per passenger compared to the next best flight with stops (source). For those planning longer haul trips to Europe or South America this summer, flying non-stop could have an even greater impact. Choosing to fly nonstop to a domestic destination will cost travelers an average of $23 more this summer than a flight with stops, about a 8% premium for reducing your carbon footprint!
Make it a staycation!
Skip the security lines and long flights and visit a destination closer to home! Hotels often offer lower rates to locals, than to business travelers or those visiting from out of town. Check out hotels in your area for a great deal, and a great getaway.
Average rates for hotels in the US this summer are $225/night, up 27% compared to this time last year. Popular destinations for this summer include many big cities like Las Vegas and New York, as well as many beach destinations such as Honolulu and Miami!
While you’re at the hotel, be sure to practice environmentally-friendly habits – hang up your towels and reuse them, and opt out of daily room cleaning to help reduce vacuuming and use of cleaning chemicals.
Carpool
Make the trip there part of the adventure! As travel demand returns to 2019 levels, airports will once again be packed during the summer. Consider skipping lines at security and opting for a scenic road trip to your destination. Carpooling with friends and family can lower the impact of your individual travel and lead to amazing summer adventures.
For example, trade in the 1.5 hour flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco for an epic road trip on the Pacific Coast highway with a group of friends. You’ll see incredible views of the coast line and reduce your carbon footprint by 20% or more. Consider renting a more fuel efficient vehicle, or even an electric vehicle for your trip to reduce your impact even more. A win-win for your summer and the environment!
Car rentals this summer will cost an average of $77 per day, up 23% vs last year, and offer travelers the opportunity to explore areas closer to home.
Plan ahead for sustainable alternatives
- Bring a refillable water bottle or coffee mug: Stay hydrated on your trip and reduce single use plastics!
- Take the bus: Travel to and from the airport using good old public transit, instead of a car or taxi.
- Pack sustainably: Bring your own soaps and lotions so you won’t need to use the single use bottles offered at hotels. You reduce your single use plastics, and get to use your own favorite products!
Be a local: Look out for restaurants offering locally sourced food and buy products from small businesses.
Book with Hopper and we’ll plant 4+ trees
At Hopper, we’re committed to making positive changes for the environment. Every time you book on Hopper we plant 4 trees to offset the impact of your travel. You won’t have to worry about a thing, as Hopper will be donating trees directly to our partner, Eden Reforestation Projects, who has planting locations all over the world — Madagascar, Mozambique and Kenya.
This Earth Day, we are proud to share that based on our current booking volumes, Hopper is expecting to plant at least 19 million trees on behalf of our customers in 2022 through the Hopper Trees program – in an effort to offset CO₂ emissions from travel booked in the app this year. As the leading travel marketplace, we are committed to doing our part as travel returns and we are excited to take this step toward a more sustainable future. Learn more about the Hopper Trees program and our partner Eden Reforestation Projects at https://www.hopper.com/trees!
