The shorter the distance flown, the more kerosene is used per kilometer. On short and medium-haul flights, the figure is about 6 liters per passenger and per 100 km. This relatively high figure is mainly due to the very large consumption of fuel during take-off and landing. The so-called take-off and landing cycle drives the average consumption up dramatically. The consumption of kerosene during the flight is lower. Another factor is the size of the aircraft: short and medium-haul flights user smaller planes which can carry fewer people. When converted into figures per passenger, these aircraft use more kerosene than large ones.

Even so, of course, the absolute consumption (and therefore the climate pollution) caused by long-haul flights are greater. One passenger flying from Zurich to New York and back consumes about the same amount of fuel on this flight as he uses for his car in a whole year. So the large distances flown are another reason why flying is so very harmful to the climate.