Google Tests AI-Powered Contrail Avoidance on Ultra-Long-Haul Flights

Google has partnered with Cathay Pacific to test AI-powered contrail avoidance on ultra-long-haul flights across Asia-Pacific. The trial, which began in September 2026, aimed to reduce the warming impact of contrails by avoiding cold, humid atmospheric zones where they are likely to form.

The trial involved over 100 flights across Cathay Pacific's network, with more than 80 following contrail-avoidance routes. Google estimated that those flights reduced the warming impact of contrails by roughly 40%.

Google's system combines AI predictions, satellite imagery, and weather intelligence to pinpoint contrail-forming zones in advance. This information is then fed to dispatchers and pilots, who can plan slight altitude shifts around them.