How Travelers Want Contrails Explained

Preliminary result. A small simulated booking study explored how travelers want to see contrail climate impacts alongside flight-emissions information.

What we tested

Fifty completed responses compared two ways of presenting the information: separate emissions and contrail metrics, or a translation of contrail impacts into a combined CO2e measure. The study also asked what travelers already knew about contrails.

What we found

• 27 of 50 participants (54%) preferred the combined CO2e translation.
• 5 of 50 participants (10%) said they were already aware that contrails can have a warming impact comparable to a flight's CO2 emissions.
• 26 of 50 participants (52%) noticed that the two presentation versions differed in whether contrails were included.

What this means for design

Travelers may find a single comparable climate measure easier to use. The pilot sets a design hypothesis for a larger test. Any combined score should make its assumptions clear, remain technically defensible, and let interested travelers inspect the parts behind the total.

Evidence limits

This was a small simulated-choice pilot (N = 50). It measures how respondents read and prefer information; a live study can measure effects on flight purchases and aviation operations.

Data availability

The de-identified outcome table supporting this page is included in the public project repository. It excludes direct identifiers, location data, and free text responses.