Explainer: what’s a ‘green’ airfare?

While all airlines are flying towards an industry-wide goal of ‘net-zero’ carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, they’ve adopted different ways of getting there – especially when it comes to achieving shorter-term goals for 2030.

One measure adopted by Lufthansa and Swiss is the introduction of special Green Fares.

Available as a stand-alone airfare in all cabin classes, Green Fares launched in early 2023 on short- and medium-range flights but are now being rolled out on the longest worldwide flights.

Rather than being an add-on to a standard airfare – such as clicking a ‘carbon offset’ box – Green Fares are dedicated fares which sit alongside Basic and Flex fares.

They include CO2 offsetting through the use of sustainable aviation fuel and a contribution to climate protection projects.

But it’s not just about the feel-good factor: these Green Fares also offer additional miles and points, along with options such as rebooking free of charge.

So how much more do you pay for a Green Fare?

Looking at Lufthansa flights between Singapore and London in mid-March 2025, a one-way Business Basic fare costs SGD$2,317 – but with the caveat of an SGD$420 rebooking fee and earning 6,292 Miles.

The top Business Flex fare costs SGD$2,607 and includes the options of free rebooking and a full refund, while earning 7,116 Miles.

On the same route, the Business Green fare costs SGD$2,698 – a 15% uplift over Business Basic, and 3.5 % over Business Flex –– but with free rebooking, an SGD$420 refund fee 7372 Miles plus a bonus of 10% award miles and 10% Points and Qualifying Points.

Lufthansa says that since the launch of Green Fares in February 2023, more than two million passengers have already opted for the tariff – resulting in an offset almost 190,000 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the emissions of more than 1,300 flights from Munich to New York on an Airbus A350.

But there’s still a long way to go: currently, barely 4% of Lufthansa Group passengers “use an option for more sustainable flying.”

Also read: Frequent flyers could be hit by a ‘green tax’