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09/19/2025
Air Freight Decarbonization Starts with Smarter Routing and Efficient Operations
Air freight is a critical enabler of global trade, accounting for approximately 35% [H1] of world commerce by value (IATA, n.d). It provides the speed, reliability, and security needed for urgent or high-value shipments such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, industrial components, and perishables. But this speed comes with a cost, as aviation has the highest emission intensity of any freight mode.
Reducing that impact means identifying the practical ways to lower air cargo emissions, such as smarter routing, more efficient aircraft, and the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) where it delivers verified results. This is precisely what GEODIS AirSmart was designed to enable, giving shippers a direct lever to reduce the footprint of their air freight without compromising on performance.
To better understand why these measures are essential today, it helps to look at how aircraft efficiency improved in the past and why those gains are now slowing. This slowdown makes smarter routing and efficient operations more critical than ever.
How aviation has improved over time
Commercial aviation has steadily improved fuel performance since the jet age. Each new generation of aircraft is typically up to 20% more fuel efficient than the one it replaces (Aviation Benefits Beyond Borders, n.d.a). As a result, today’s aircraft emit far less CO₂ per seat than the early jets of the 1950s (Aviation Benefits Beyond Borders, n.d.b).
Multiple factors have driven these improvements, including:
- Aerodynamic refinements, such as winglets and laminar flow designs, reduce drag.
- Advanced engines deliver greater thrust with less fuel.
- Composite materials make airframes lighter and more efficient.
- Higher seating densities in passenger aircraft spread emissions over more cargo and passengers.
New long-haul aircraft like the Boeing 787, Airbus A350, and Boeing 737 MAX consume 2.5–3 liters per 100 passenger-kilometres—comparable to a compact car, but over far greater distances at much higher speed (Aviation Benefits Beyond Borders, n.d.a).
Slowing progress in efficiency gains
Recent analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation shows that aviation’s fuel burn per kilometre has dropped 43% since 1970, but most of that progress came before 2020. In the last few years, efficiency gains have nearly stalled (Hameed & Rutherford, 2025).
One reason is that manufacturers are focusing on re-engined versions of existing aircraft, such as the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX, rather than launching completely new designs. These updates deliver only 2–3% savings, whereas big leaps require next-generation aerodynamics and lighter materials.
New freighters such as the Airbus A350F (40% less CO₂ than the Boeing 747-400F) and Boeing 777-8F (25% less than older freighters) are scheduled to enter service in the second half of this decade (Key.Aero, 2024; Boeing, 2022). However, because fleets take years to renew, the immediate challenge is to make more efficient use of the aircraft already in service.
Pathways to decarbonization
Even when efficient aircraft are available, air cargo emissions can vary significantly by itinerary. An ICCT study of 20 U.S. domestic routes found that the low carbon option emitted 63% less CO₂ than the worst option and 22% less than the average for all routes (ICCT, 2021).
The variation comes from three main levers:
- Routing – non-stop flights are generally low carbon, while extra stops or detours can nearly double emissions.
- Aircraft mix – newer models such as the Boeing 787-9 or Airbus A320neo burn significantly less fuel than older jets flying the same route.
- Operational factors – seat density, cargo load factor, and even taxi time further widen the spread.
For shippers, this means that choosing an itinerary can immediately reduce emissions, without waiting for new technology.
Real‑world freight example: Paris → Shanghai
Departure Airport | Arrival Airport | No. Legs | CO2e Reduction % vs trade average | Total CO2e (tonnes) | Airplanes used |
CDG | PVG | 1 | -24.40% | 4.6075 | Boeing 777-200 Freighter |
CDG | PVG | 2 | -20.00% | 4.8805 | Airbus A330 Freighter, Road Feeder Service |
CDG | PVG | 3 | -12.20% | 5.3526 | Road Feeder Service, Boeing 777-200F Freighter, Airbus A330-200 Freighter |
CDG | PVG | 2 | +36.00% | 8.2940 | Boeing 787-9 Passenger, Boeing 787-8 Passenger |
Table 1 – Same day, same lane, very different outcomes (GEODIS calculation with EcoTransIT World)
How expertise unlocks lower-carbon air freight solutions
Air freight decarbonization presents unique challenges in terms of practicality, economics, and regulation. Many businesses want to reduce emissions but struggle with the lack of visibility and access to consistently lower-carbon options. This is where an expert freight forwarder can make a measurable difference. By aggregating demand from multiple shippers and negotiating capacity with various airlines, forwarders expand the range of viable options, making it easier to select services with a lower emissions profile.
An expert forwarder can accelerate decarbonization by:
- Incentivizing efficiency – directing volumes to airlines operating newer, fuel-efficient fleets.
- Optimizing routing – selecting itineraries with lower emissions and improving consolidation so aircraft fly fuller.
- Bundling SAF demand – pooling orders so even small shippers can access book-and-claim certificates.
- Providing end-to-end visibility – integrating road, air, and last-mile data into one emissions report.
GEODIS AirSmart: A Smarter Route to Decarbonization
GEODIS combines these levers through its AirSmart service and wider sustainability portfolio.
Demand for lower-carbon freight naturally creates a virtuous cycle: shippers choose efficient flights → airlines invest in low carbon aircraft → supply of low‑carbon capacity expands → shippers have more options. GEODIS AirSmart amplifies this loop by funnelling the demand toward the best-performing flights and providing transparent reporting on measurable results.
This makes it more attractive for airlines to continue investing, while giving shippers a practical way to reduce Scope 3 emissions today.
How GEODIS AirSmart Works for You
This lower-carbon air freight solution enables shippers to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by selecting the most energy-efficient flights on a given route, without compromising reliability or speed. It compares available schedules against a six-month weighted benchmark derived from EcoTransIT World data to identify the services that perform best in terms of emissions.
For shippers, the benefits are immediate and measurable: 10–35% lower emissions at minimal extra cost. Even for urgent or temperature-sensitive shipments, the chosen flights meet both operational and environmental criteria.
Furthermore, emissions reports are provided in accordance with Scope 3 accounting best practices and the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) methodologies, providing businesses with confidence in the monitoring and reporting of results. By choosing more efficient aircraft and routes, companies can reduce their logistics footprint today, support their internal climate targets, and help drive broader market changes.
Pairing SAF to amplify emission savings
With GEODIS AirSmart, the impact of efficient routing becomes even stronger when combined with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The service not only selects modern, fuel-efficient aircraft but also provides the framework to apply SAF certificates through book-and-claim, allowing shippers to achieve substantial lifecycle reductions with full reporting confidence.
SkyNRG’s 2024 market outlook shows that SAF availability is expanding and notes that early adopters who combine SAF with optimized routing can reach significantly lower end-to-end emissions (SkyNRG, 2024). While SAF remains more costly, using less fuel through smarter routing means fewer litres of SAF are needed to achieve the same reduction.
GEODIS AirSmart provides the accounting framework to match SAF certificates and report results in line with the GHG Protocol and SBTi, enabling logistics and procurement teams to confidently embed climate strategy into their daily operations.
Shaping the future of sustainable air freight
Decarbonizing air freight requires pulling every available lever, from aircraft design to smarter routing and alternative fuels. While the pace of aircraft innovation has slowed, immediate gains can be realized today by shifting cargo to more efficient aircraft and itineraries.
For shippers, the opportunity is clear. By working with an experienced forwarder and using services such as GEODIS AirSmart, itinerary and carrier choice becomes a powerful tool for climate action. Combined with book-and-claim SAF purchases, this creates a practical pathway to meeting Scope 3 targets, reducing energy use, and lowering aviation’s carbon footprint today.
To explore how these strategies can be applied to your business, please contact our team for tailored insights.
References
Airbus, 2025. A350F Facts & Figures – April 2025. Toulouse : Airbus. https://www.airbus.com/en/products-services/freighter/a350f
Aviation Benefits Beyond Borders, n.d.a. Efficient technology – Climate action. https://aviationbenefits.org/environmental-efficiency/climate-action/efficient-technology/
Aviation Benefits Beyond Borders, n.d.b. Aircraft efficiency has improved by 80% since the 1950s. https://aviationbenefits.org/environmental-efficiency/fuel-efficiency/
Boeing, 2022. Boeing launches 777-8 Freighter… Press release, 31 Jan 2022. https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=131058
EcoTransIT World, 2025. Aircraft emissions calculations. https://www.ecotransit.org/
GEODIS, 2025a. GEODIS AirSmart – https://geodis.com/se-en/transport-services/air-freight/geodis-airsmart
GEODIS, 2025b. GEODIS AirSmart – https://geodis.com/se-en/transport-services/air-freight/geodis-airsmart
GEODIS Blog, 2025. What role do freight forwarders have in air‑freight decarbonisation? https://geodis.com/blog/sustainable-logistics-and-decarbonation/what-role-do-freight-forwarders-have-air-freight
Hameed, M., & Rutherford, D., 2025. Fuel burn of new commercial jet aircraft: 1960–2024. ICCT Working Paper 287. https://theicct.org/publication/aviation-fuel-burn-trends-mar24/
ICCT, 2021. Variation in aviation emissions by itinerary. https://theicct.org/publication/variation-in-aviation-emissions-by-itinerary-jul21/
Key.Aero, 2024. Boeing 777-8F vs Airbus A350F: Comparing Next-Gen Freighters. https://www.key.aero/article/boeing-777-8f-vs-airbus-a350f-comparing-next-gen-freighters
SkyNRG, 2024. Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market Outlook. https://skynrg.com/market-outlook/
