How Much Radiation Are You Exposed to During Air Travel?
In this article
Air travel has become increasingly common for both business and leisure. We are exposed to low levels of radiation while flying. If you flew from the easternmost part of Turkey to its west coast, you would be exposed to approximately 0.012 mSv (1.2 mREM) of cosmic radiation. This amount of radiation is much less than the amount we receive from a chest X-ray.
The dose equivalent unit indicating the effect of radiation on living tissue is expressed as Sievert (Sv). The former unit used to measure radiation dose is REM. REM stands for "röntgen equivalent man". 1 Sv = 100 REM.
Radiation measurements often use millisievert-Sievert (mSv). According to the Turkish Thoracic Society, the radiation dose received from a single-view chest X-ray is 0.02 mSv (2 mREM). In contrast, this dose is 5-7 mSv for a chest CT scan.
Radiation from air travel comes from cosmic radiation, or radiation from space. Cosmic radiation is produced by stars, including our own sun.
How Much Radiation Do I Receive from Air Travel?
The amount (dose) of radiation you receive from air travel is low, but the dose depends on several factors.
These radiation levels are small and are unlikely to affect human health.
1. Flight Duration
The longer you spend on a flight, the more radiation you receive.
2. Altitude
The higher your altitude, the higher the radiation dose. This is because the atmosphere provides less protection from cosmic radiation at higher altitudes.
3. Latitude
The farther north or south you are from the equator, the more radiation you receive. This is because the Earth's magnetic field deflects some cosmic radiation away from the equator toward the North and South Poles.
Whether or not you fly, the average annual dose a person receives from cosmic radiation is 0.33 mSv (33 mrem), or 11% of our annual exposure to all natural radiation sources.
Average Annual Dose from Natural Radiation Sources
| Source of Natural Radiation | Average Annual Dose | Percentage of Dose |
| Internal (Inhalation) | 2.28 mSv (228 mREM) | 73% |
| External (Cosmic) | 0.33 mSv (33 mREM) | 11% |
| Internal (Ingestion) | 0.29 mSv (29 mREM) | 9% |
| External (Terrestrial) | 0.21 mSv (21 mREM) | 7% |
Source: National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. NCRP Report No. 160, Ionizing Radiation Exposure of the Population of the United States.
What Is the Radiation Risk from Air Travel?
Air travel exposes passengers to low levels of radiation.
Radiation from air travel results from the naturally occurring radiation from space that we are exposed to every day, and it does not create an additional risk to your health.
Sources
Was this article helpful?
Your feedback helps us improve our content.
Reader comments
Share your comment
Your name and comment are published only after administrator approval. Your email address is never shown to visitors.
Be the first to comment.