Sustainable Aviation Fuel – No longer a future concept

As the aviation industry continues its journey toward net-zero emissions, the past six months have marked a turning point for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

From production breakthroughs to strategic airline investments, SAF is no longer a future concept, it’s a present-day priority.

Big progress is being made around the world – in the US, SAF output doubled between December 2024 and February 2025.

Production capacity rose from 2,000 barrels/day to 30,000 barrels/day, thanks to new facilities from Phillips 66, Diamond Green Diesel and New Rise Renewables.

SAF now accounts for nearly 2% of total U.S. jet fuel consumption, with further growth expected in 2026.

This surge is driven by federal tax credits, state incentives and the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard.

One Global’s preferred air supplier, United Airlines, is a leader in this SAF investment and innovation.

United has secured nearly 3 billion gallons of SAF through offtake agreements and investments which is more than any other airline.

And in May, United announced a strategic investment in Twelve, a cleantech company that transforms CO₂ and water into SAF using renewable energy.

Its first plant, AirPlant One, will produce 50,000 gallons annually, with a long-term agreement to supply 260 million gallons over 14 years.

And United’s Sustainable Flight Fund now includes more than $200m in commitments from partners like Google, Boeing and JetBlue Ventures, which aims to scale up SAF production and innovation.

Across the industry, SAF adoption continues to accelerate.

KLM, Delta, Lufthansa, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic and Alaska Airlines now blend SAF on scheduled routes.

Delta signed a 250m gallon deal with Aemetis and began SAF deliveries in Asia Pacific.

Lufthansa powers all domestic Airbus staff flights with SAF and offers “Green Fares” for leisure passengers.

Together, these airlines account for over half of global SAF commitments announced in 2024-2025.

Meanwhile, Europe has taken bold steps to scale up SAF.

The EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation came into force in January 2025, which mandates 2% SAF blending by 2025, 6% by 2030 and 70% by 2050.

This includes sub-targets for synthetic fuels, pushing innovation beyond traditional biofuels.

Europe’s SAF production capacity is now just over 1 million tonnes/year, mostly from HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) sources.

But synthetic SAF which is the key to long-term decarbonisation has yet to reach final investment decision (FID) – without urgent investment, Europe risks falling behind the U.S. and China.

The EU has allocated €100M in free ETS allowances and additional SAF incentives to help bridge the cost gap but SAF still remains 3 to 5 times more expensive than fossil jet fuel.

Airlines like KLM, Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic are integrating SAF into regular operations.

Europe has the policy framework and ambition but unlocking scale will require faster financing, clearer market signals and cross-sector collaboration.

But why does all this matter for One Global Travel?

SAF is transforming the way we think about travel.

Eco-conscious flight options are expanding, especially from major hubs and corporate travel programmes can now include SAF-backed itineraries and emissions reporting.

For our clients, this means more opportunities to align travel with sustainability goals without compromising on experience.

The past six months have shown SAF is gaining altitude.

At One Global, we’re proud to support this transition because the future of flight depends on what fuels it.