How much fuel does an international flight consume for its journey?

A Boeing 747, like this one, typically uses about 1 gallon (4 liters) of fuel every second. Over a 10-hour flight, it may burn 36,000 gallons (150,000 liters). The aircraft consumes approximately 5 gallons of fuel per mile (12 liters per kilometer).

Though this seems like a very low fuel efficiency, keep in mind that a 747 can carry up to 568 passengers. For simplicity, let’s say it carries 500 people. This means the plane uses just 0.01 gallons per person per mile (5/500). Essentially, the 747 delivers 100 miles per gallon (42 kilometers per liter) per person! Not bad for a plane cruising at 550 mph (900 kph).

The Airbus A380, currently holding the title of the world's largest jet airliner, is even more fuel-efficient. This massive aircraft consumes an average of 4,600 gallons (11,400 liters) of fuel per hour, slightly more than the 747. The A380 can carry over 800 passengers at full capacity, offering about a 20 percent increase in fuel efficiency per passenger compared to the older 747.

Let's compare flying to driving: A typical car achieves around 25 miles per gallon. A drive from New York City to Los Angeles covers about 2,797 miles (4,501 kilometers), consuming approximately 112 gallons (509 liters) of gasoline. With two passengers (the average car occupancy in the U.S.), that's 56 gallons per person (2,797/25/2). A flight on the same route takes about 6 hours, burning 5,325 gallons of jet fuel. If the flight carries 200 passengers, the fuel usage per person would be about 27 gallons.