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Many people genuinely worry about climate change yet still book flights. That is not necessarily hypocrisy: holiday decisions combine climate concern with price, time, convenience, family obligations, destination appeal, habit and uncertainty about which option has the lowest impact. The result is a persistent attitude–behaviour gap.
The attitude–behaviour gap in holiday travel
Survey evidence shows that concern is widespread. In 2024, 67% of Germany’s population said ecological or social sustainability was important when travelling, according to the German Federal Ministry for the Environment’s 2026 summary of Reiseanalyse monitoring. A 2021 European Investment Bank survey found that 72% of Europeans and Americans believed their own behaviour could help tackle climate change.
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Yet stated values do not reliably determine the next booking. The German ministry says “the gap between sustainable attitudes and sustainable behaviour on holiday trips is still very large.” Only 2–3% of holiday trips were compensated in 2018/19, around 9% in 2021, and 5% in both 2022 and 2023. Those figures describe compensation choices, not total holiday emissions or proof that compensation makes a trip climate-neutral.
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In Italy, a representative survey of 1,004 adults reported by the University of Ferrara in 2025 found that general environmental concern did not consistently affect travel decisions. Concern matters, but it competes with more immediate constraints.
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Why flying is particularly difficult to change
Immediate costs beat distant benefits
A cheaper flight, a shorter journey or a destination that fits school holidays can outweigh an abstract climate benefit that arrives years later. Families may also be coordinating several people’s budgets, leave dates and accessibility needs.
Alternatives are not equally available
Replacing a short-haul flight with rail can work where trains are frequent and affordable. It is harder when routes require multiple connections, cross borders, involve overnight travel or do not serve the destination. Driving, rail and air travel also differ in luggage rules, reliability and total journey time. Avoiding a flight may mean choosing a different destination rather than making the same trip by another mode.
People doubt their individual leverage
Travellers can accept that aviation contributes to warming while questioning whether one booking changes airline schedules, airport investment or national infrastructure. When the available choices are shaped by systems outside the traveller’s control, personal sacrifice can feel ineffective.
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“Sustainable” can mean different things
One person may prioritise local businesses, another wildlife protection or social benefits. A hotel that highlights local sourcing can feel sustainable even if reaching it requires a long flight. Without a common accounting method, a positive feature can obscure the largest source of emissions.
Habits and social expectations reinforce routines
Annual beach trips, visiting relatives and the expectation that a holiday should involve a faraway destination create strong norms. Once dates, companions and accommodation are arranged, changing transport becomes costly or socially difficult.
What the survey numbers do—and do not—show
| Finding | What it measures | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| 67% in Germany (2024) | Said ecological or social sustainability was important when travelling | Reported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment in 2026 from Reiseanalyse monitoring |
| 72% in Europe and the United States (2021) | Believed personal behaviour could make a difference on climate change | European Investment Bank survey response |
| 22% (2021) | Said they would avoid flying because of climate concerns after travel restrictions | Intended behaviour, not an observed post-pandemic change |
| 42% (2021) | Said they would holiday in their own or a nearby country to minimise emissions | Intended behaviour, not a measured booking pattern |
| 2–3% in 2018/19; about 9% in 2021; 5% in 2022 and 2023 | Holiday trips for which travellers reported compensation | German figures; compensation is not evidence of zero climate impact |
How to make a holiday lower-carbon without giving up travel
Start with the decision that usually dominates the trip’s footprint: getting to and from the destination. Then compare the whole journey rather than accepting a hotel’s “eco” label as a verdict.
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- Compare transport modes and distance. Check whether rail, coach or a closer destination can replace a flight. Include transfers at both ends, not just the main ticket.
- Count flights and connections. Fewer flights generally means less aviation-related impact. A direct route can avoid an additional take-off and landing, although the exact result depends on aircraft, route and load.
- Consider fewer, longer trips. Consolidating several short breaks into one longer stay can reduce repeated journeys while preserving time away.
- Choose the least space-intensive seat available. Economy seating generally uses less space per passenger than higher-space cabins. This reduces allocated emissions but does not make flying emission-free.
- Assess accommodation in context. Look for transparent, comparable information about energy use and certification, while remembering that a small lodging improvement may be outweighed by a long flight.
- Question vague environmental claims. Prefer figures calculated with a stated method and boundaries. The UK Department for Transport is studying how carbon labels might improve understanding and influence flight choices; that work examines potential effects, not a proven change in bookings.
Four behaviour pathways researchers distinguish
- Avoidance: taking no flight or dropping a trip that is not essential.
- Substitution: using rail or another lower-emission mode for a journey that could otherwise be flown.
- Consolidation: making fewer journeys and staying longer.
- Lower-space travel: selecting economy rather than a cabin with more space per passenger.
The CAST review identifies these as separate pathways, alongside offsets. An offset or compensation payment should be treated as a distinct, uncertain intervention—not as evidence that the original flight has been erased.
Why individual choices need structural support
Information alone cannot create a practical alternative where trains are unavailable or unaffordable. Clearer labels, dependable cross-border rail, convenient connections and policy that reflects climate costs can shift the default choice. The Welsh Government describes its Climate Change Perceptions and Actions Survey as an effort to understand attitudes and behaviours related to reducing carbon emissions—evidence that policymakers are tracking both belief and action.
The most realistic approach is therefore neither “personal choices do not matter” nor “every traveller is inconsistent.” Choose the largest feasible reduction first, use transparent comparisons, and recognise the limits imposed by infrastructure, money, time and other people’s needs.
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