Why some frequent flyers support carbon offsets—And others don’t

This research explores why some airline customers are willing to support environmental efforts, such as carbon offset programs, while others are not—especially among members of frequent flyer loyalty programs. The study focuses on a psychological factor called mobility beliefs, or how much people believe they can move up the ranks of a loyalty program.

Airlines often promote carbon offset programs to reduce their environmental impact. For example, passengers can pay a small fee to balance out the carbon emissions of their flight. While these programs are widely offered, participation rates are often very low. This raises an important question: what makes some passengers support these programs and others reject them?

The researchers proposed that a passenger’s belief in their ability to climb the loyalty ladder—earning more points, perks, and status—would affect how they react to the airline’s environmental initiatives. If people believe they can advance through the program, they are more likely to see the airline as fair and trustworthy. This makes them more open to supporting the airline’s carbon offset efforts. On the other hand, if passengers believe the system is rigged or impossible to move up, they become more skeptical of the airline’s actions, including its environmental programs.

To test this idea, the researchers conducted four studies using surveys and experiments with frequent flyer program members. They found that when people had strong mobility beliefs—when they thought their efforts could actually help them reach higher status—they were more likely to support carbon offset programs. They also had more positive feelings toward the airline and were more willing to participate in future offset initiatives.

However, when people believed that mobility in the program was limited or unfair, they were less likely to support these programs. In fact, some even saw the carbon offset effort as a distraction or as a way for the airline to avoid making real environmental changes.

In one study, participants were told different stories about how easy or hard it is to move up in a frequent flyer program. Those who were told it was easy showed more support for carbon offsets. Another study showed that beliefs about fairness—whether the loyalty program was seen as equitable—helped explain these attitudes. When the program felt fair, people were more trusting, and trust led to more support for the airline’s environmental actions.

In short, this research shows that people’s views about fairness and opportunity within loyalty programs shape how they respond to corporate social responsibility efforts. If people feel the program gives everyone a fair shot, they’re more likely to back the airline’s green initiatives. If they feel the system is unfair, they may reject those same initiatives—even if they agree with them in principle. This suggests that companies need to build trust and fairness in their loyalty programs if they want customers to support broader sustainability goals.Chan, E. Y. (2025). Loyalty program mobility beliefs and carbon offset (external link, opens in new window) . Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1–23. DOI: 10.1080/09669582.2025.2536284