Contrail Avoidance

Cutting aviation's climate impact, one flight path at a time. Our smart contrail avoidance technology integrates seamlessly into existing flight planning and EFB systems—delivering maximum environmental benefit with minimal operational disruption.

Introducing the problem

Contrails cause 1-2% of global warming

While recent data indicates that aviation is responsible for approximately 2.4-2.5% of total global CO₂ emissions, CO₂ is not the sector's only climate impact. Recent estimates show that contrails cause approximately the same amount of warming each year as all the CO₂ emitted by aviation from 1945 to 2018.

Aviation's non-CO₂ effects include Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulate Matter (soot), Sulphur Oxides (SOx), and water vapor, as well as subsequent effects from contrail-cirrus cloud formation and aerosol-cloud interactions. Contrail-cirrus clouds are responsible for the largest share of non-CO₂ warming effects. Contrails form in ice super-saturated regions (ISSRs) when hot exhaust gases contact cool ambient air. Soot particles act as condensation nuclei for water vapor, which condenses and freezes due to the cold temperatures.

When contrails persist in the atmosphere, they often grow and transform into cirrus clouds. Cirrus clouds then act as a mirror - reflecting incoming solar radiation back to space during and trapping outgoing radiation beneath the cloud layer. These effects generate cooling and warming effects respectively. However, the overall effect of contrail-cirrus is net warming because the warming effect from trapping outgoing radiation (which occurs both day and night) is stronger than the cooling effect from reflecting solar radiation (which only occurs during daylight hours).

Introducing the Solution

80% of contrail warming can be eliminated by re-routing 5% of flights

Pre-tactical avoidance

Our dispatch tool, FLIGHTKEYS 5D, incorporates contrail prediction data from multiple leading model providers. This enables flight planners to develop contrail-avoidance flight plans and file them prior to departure.

Tactical avoidance

For cases where flights are delayed or weather predictions change, we offer tactical avoidance solutions. Through our EFB tool equipped with contrail avoidance capabilities, pilots can receive real-time updates on contrail predictions and make informed decisions about flight level changes.

Climate Reporting

Climate regulation is knocking in the door of many airlines. Starting 2025, all airlines to fly to, from or inside EU borders need to report their non-CO2 emissions. At FLIGHTKEYS we provide support to all airlines interested in this process, as well as other climate regulation.