Leave Less Travel Program
Use the web application below to purchase carbon offset credits as a means of supporting climate around the world. The certified projects are selected with Air Canada by Chooose™.
Currently, scope 3 environmental attributes associated with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) are only available when booking on the AirCanada.com Canadian and U.S. booking websites and for Air Canada flight segments (including Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express). Participation in the Leave Less Travel Program operated by Chooose is completely voluntary. This program is separate, distinct and in addition to any Air Canada programs, fees, or similar initiatives (including with respect to the use of SAF by Air Canada), as well as any other similar initiatives or programs offered by codeshare partners.
About Chooose™
Chooose™ is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and delivers a software platform that enables organizations and individuals to better understand emissions, to support certified climate projects, and to help advance sustainable aviation fuel.
Carbon Offset Projects
When individuals and organizations offset part of their carbon footprint, the funds allocated contribute to certified projects that aim to remove or avoid emissions around the world. The issuance and sale of carbon offset credits provides a source of financing for these projects.
FAQ
A greenhouse gas is a type of gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. The most commonly known GHG emissions generated from man-made activities are carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and fluorinated gases (HFCs). According to the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), the global aviation sector contributes approximately between 2% and 3%(1) of the world’s total GHG emissions. Although other GHG emissions are generated from global aviation, the primary GHG source is CO₂, making up approximately 99%(2) of the emissions generated from the combustion of conventional jet fuel, a fossil-based fuel, that powers the aircraft engines. Aviation's impact on climate change also extends beyond GHG emissions, with non-CO₂ effects such as contrails and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Those are however difficult to monitor as no monitoring methodology, nor mitigating tools exist today. Despite the latest scientific developments to better understand non-CO₂ climate effects of aviation, significant uncertainties remain, especially when predicting contrail formation and its related climate impact(3). (1) (2)
How do you calculate the GHG emissions for my flight?
To allocate the estimated GHG emissions* of an Air Canada flight** to an individual passenger, Chooose uses the latest version of the . This allocation is obtained by dividing the average jet fuel consumption of the flight by the average load (passengers and cargo). Allocation to an individual passenger is weighted based on the selected class of travel (business, premium economy or and economy) and size of aircraft (narrow or wide body). If the journey includes connecting flights operated by other airlines, the allocation of GHG emissions for those flights is obtained based on average GHG emissions as provided by the . The calculation methodology used by Chooose provides an estimate only of the GHG emissions associated with your flight(s) and should not be relied upon as an accurate record of the actual emissions. Calculation results show GHG emissions in kgCO₂e. These estimates are provided for information purposes only. *GHG emissions from jet fuel combustion include CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O emissions. The global warming potentials from IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) were used to convert the CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O emissions to tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (t kg CO₂e). However, other GHG emissions sources such as upstream GHG emissions from jet fuel production (i.e., extraction, refining and transportation) and the non-CO₂ terms (e.g., contrails) have not been included. Aviation's impact on climate change also extends beyond GHG emissions, with non-CO₂ effects such as contrails and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Those are however difficult to monitor as no monitoring methodology, nor mitigating tools exist today. Despite the latest scientific developments to better understand non-CO₂ climate effects of aviation, significant uncertainties remain, especially when predicting contrail formation and its related climate impact(1). **Air Canada flight means a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, or Air Canada Express.
Why are my GHG emissions associated with my flight(s) different on third party sites than on the Air Canada Canadian and US booking sites, Aeroplan Flight Rewards site and the Chooose web application?
Chooose calculates the estimated GHG emissions allocated to a customer’s flight(s) by using historical fuel burn for the same flights based on Air Canada’s internal data that external sites do not have access to. The Air Canada data is updated on an annual basis to help improve the accuracy of the data. If the journey includes connecting flights operated by other airlines, the allocation of GHG emissions for those flights is obtained based on average GHG emissions as provided by the .
The Leave Less Travel Program provided by Chooose offers customers the voluntary option to purchase carbon offset credits together with scope 3 environmental attributes associated with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The total cost of this combined purchase is calculated on the basis of an estimate of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of your flight(s). For all Air Canada flight segments (including Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express carriers), your purchase will include scope 3 environmental attributes associated with a volume of SAF that is equivalent to replacing approximately 1.5% of the conventional jet fuel associated with the total estimated GHG emissions of these flight segments. Scope 3 environmental attributes associated with SAF will not be available for flight segment(s) operated by other airlines. Carbon offset credits will be purchased in an amount equivalent to the remaining estimated GHG emissions of your flight segments on Air Canada (including Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express carriers) and any flight segments on other airlines in your itinerary. Participation in the Leave Less Travel Program offered by Chooose is completely voluntary. This program is separate, distinct and additional to any Air Canada programs, charges, fees, or similar initiatives (including with respect to the use of SAF by Air Canada), as well as any other similar initiatives or programs offered by our codeshare partners. Please note, your flight will still produce GHG emissions. A detailed overview of the carbon offset projects supported through this program is available . More information on SAF is available .
How does it work?
The voluntary option to add the Leave Less Travel Program offered by Chooose to your itinerary is now seamlessly integrated into Air Canada’s Canadian and U.S. booking websites. Outside of these booking websites, you can simply enter your itinerary information in the web application above to purchase carbon offset credits only.
How are my funds allocated in the Leave Less Travel Program?
The price you pay represents the total cost of this service (other than the taxes and a $US 0.42 per passenger per flight segment fee retained by Chooose to offer the program) and will be used by Chooose to source, purchase and retire carbon offset credits from certified projects and to purchase, from Air Canada, scope 3 environmental attributes associated with Air Canada’s use of SAF.
Is my support refundable?
Any purchase you make from Chooose is voluntary. Once you support the Leave Less travel Program offered by Chooose, you can request a refund within 24 hours of the purchase by contacting and providing the order number found on your receipt. Chooose will process the reimbursement within 5 working days from the day on which Chooose receives your refund request. Order refunds will be reimbursed to the same payment method that you used for the original purchase. After 24 hours, no refund is available unless otherwise required by law. This is applicable even if you change, cancel or modify your journey or in case of cancellation or rebooking of your flight by the carrier for any reason. In such cases, your Leave Less Travel Program purchase will continue to fund the projects and initiatives.
Who is Chooose™?
This service is offered by climate tech company Chooose™. Chooose delivers a software platform that enables both individuals and organizations to better understand carbon emissions, make more carbon-informed decisions, and support certified carbon projects and sustainable aviation fuel. Chooose is Air Canada’s official carbon offset and carbon program collaborator. For more information about Chooose, please visit .
is a type of non-conventional jet fuel made from resources that can be continually replenished, also known as sustainable feedstocks. It is chemically similar to conventional jet fuel but comes from non-fossil sources, making it a lower-carbon alternative. SAF can be produced from a variety of alternative materials without necessarily depleting natural resources. Some bio-based materials it can be made from include cooking oil, animal waste fat and agricultural or forestry residues. SAF is compatible with existing airport infrastructure and aircraft, making it a safe ‘drop-in’ alternative to conventional jet fuel.
What are SAF environmental attributes?
Environmental attributes associated with SAF refer to the reduced environmental impacts of using SAF, such as the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided by not extracting non-renewable resources like crude oil (used to make conventional jet-fuel). These environmental attributes result from Air Canada using SAF instead of conventional jet fuel, helping to reduce your scope 3 GHG emissions. Your scope 3 emissions are the indirect GHG emissions that result from activities not directly controlled by you but related to your activities and consumption habits, for example: passenger emissions related to air travel. There is no current recognized environmental registry for SAF environmental attributes available at this time, unlike for carbon credits. The scope 3 environmental attributes associated with SAF that you purchase through the Leave Less Travel Program are tracked and managed by Air Canada through a ‘book-and-claim’ system. Book and claim systems are tools used to, manage, track and transfer the benefits of non-physical goods like environmental benefits. The environmental attributes associated with SAF purchased and retired on your behalf are verified by an independent third party to ensure they are not being resold or otherwise used a second time.
How do SAF and SAF environmental attributes contribute to GHG reductions?
SAF is not emission free but has lower net carbon lifecycle emissions than conventional jet fuels, with the potential to reduce the carbon intensity of flying by up to approximately 80%(1). Carbon dioxide absorbed by plants during the growth of biomass is roughly equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide produced when the bio-based fuel is burned in a combustion engine, which is simply returned to the atmosphere. Environmental attributes associated with SAF refer to the associated reduced environmental impacts of using SAF, such as the GHG emissions avoided by not extracting non-renewable resources like crude oil (used to make conventional jet-fuel). These environmental attributes result from Air Canada using SAF instead of conventional jet fuel, which in turn, helps to reduce your own scope 3 GHG emissions. It is important to note that these environmental attributes do not create additional reductions separate from the SAF for which they are allocated. (1)
“” is a term used to describe a mechanism through which individuals and organizations can help support certified third-party projects that contribute to the removal or avoidance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions around the world. Certified projects issue carbon credits. Each carbon credit, carbon offset, or emission reduction unit aims to represent a single unit of GHG emissions (being one (1) tonne carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e)) that is avoided or removed from the atmosphere or the carbon life cycle. A unit of GHG emissions can be avoided or removed from the atmosphere through various project types (e.g. forestry projects, landfill methane recovery and destruction). By purchasing carbon offset credits, you are funding projects that avoid or remove GHG emissions elsewhere. The certification process for a carbon offset project is validated to ensure the emissions reductions are additional, measurable, auditable, permanent, and unique. For more information on the carbon offset projects you support through the Leave Less Travel Program, please visit .
How are carbon offset credits verified?
The carbon offset credits made available on the Chooose carbon offset site are Voluntary Emission Reduction (VER) units. The projects issuing these carbon offset credits are certified to internationally recognized carbon certification standards that set requirements for the design and implementation of projects such as the Verified Carbon Standard, the Gold Standard, American Carbon Registry, and the BC carbon registry. The independent third-party verifications are performed by accredited verifiers and follow best practices as well as the verification criteria indicated in each specific standard.
How do I know that the impact would not have occurred without my support?
In order for a climate project to receive certification from a credible carbon certification body, it must demonstrate "additionality." Additionality means that the GHG emissions avoidance or removal impact associated with that particular project would not have taken place in the absence of the project and that the project would not have been financially feasible without the generation and sale of carbon credits. All carbon offset projects available on this platform have met the additionality requirements of their respective carbon certification bodies, and they have had it checked by an independent third-party auditor at project inception.
Carbon offset projects are one part of a broader climate strategy to advance global climate action efforts– they do not replace a company’s or an individual's efforts to reduce their carbon emissions. Instead, carbon offsetting should be viewed as supplementary climate action that complements significant broader decarbonization efforts that are required. SAF helps reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing a fuel with higher life cycle emissions (conventional jet fuel) with one with lower life cycle emissions (sustainable aviation fuel).
How are carbon credits and SAF environmental attributes retired?
Carbon credits and environmental attributes associated with SAF are tracked, verified by an independent third party, and retired. Retiring both carbon credits and environmental attributes associated with SAF prevents these from being resold or otherwise used a second time. The third party verified processes for both carbon credits and environmental attributes associated with SAF, ensures transparency, reliability and double-allocation avoidance.
When you book a flight using Aeroplan points or a combination of points and cash, Air Canada will its estimated scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by purchasing carbon credits based on emissions estimated to be associated with your flight*. Specifically, the carbon credits retired will be an amount equivalent to the estimated GHG emissions associated with the portion of your itinerary that’s operated by Air Canada, once the flight is completed. You can view the estimated scope 1 GHG emissions that will be compensated by Air Canada when booking a flight redemption using Aeroplan points, or a combination of Aeroplan points and cash. The estimate provided is subject to change should you cancel or modify your journey, or should your flight be cancelled or rebooked by Air Canada. For your flight to qualify for this program, you must be an Aeroplan member at the time of the redemption and be signed into your Aeroplan account. If you are not an Aeroplan member, you can visit the Aeroplan web site () and enroll today. Membership is free. Full terms and conditions of the Aeroplan Program apply and are available online at . Only flights operated by Air Canada (flown on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express) are eligible for this program. Air Canada will claim the GHG reductions on its direct GHG emissions (also known as scope 1 emissions, for flights flown on Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge) and its other indirect GHG emissions (also known as scope 3 emissions, for flights flown on Air Canada Express). This means that the GHG emissions reductions associated with those carbon offset credits cannot be accounted for by you. For information on the allocation of the GHG emissions of an individual passenger’s Air Canada flight, please view the “How do you calculate GHG emissions for my flight?” in this FAQ. Currently, SAF environmental attributes are not integrated into the Aeroplan carbon offset reward program for flight rewards. When booking a flight using Aeroplan points, or a combination of points and cash, customers will not be offered the voluntary option to participate in the Leave Less Travel Program. * This estimate may not reflect the actual emissions associated with your flight(s), which are dependent on a wide range of factors which may vary meaningfully from flight to flight and should not be relied upon as an accurate record of the emissions generated from your flight(s).