United has become the first airline to secure sustainable aviation fuel for Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, with the first batch arriving in August 2024. Olivia Palamountain reports
United was the first airline to create a goal of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050, without relying on voluntary carbon offsets, and remains a US industry leader in the purchase and use of SAF.
It is now the first airline to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for use at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
SAF producer Neste will provide up to 1 million gallons of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ to United at ORD in 2024 with the first supply arriving in August.
The airline purchased more sustainable fuel than any US airline in 2023 and the agreement with Neste makes O’Hare the fifth airport where United has purchased SAF for operational use – among the most locations of any US airline.
SAF is an alternative to conventional jet fuel that can reduce GHG emissions by up to 85 per cent on a lifecycle basis – from production to end use – because it is made from renewable materials rather than drilled fossil oil.
SAF is among aviation’s best, most scalable options to push the industry towards net zero emissions, in part because it can be used with existing infrastructure and requires no changes to fuel systems or aircraft engines.
United has now purchased SAF for airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, London, and Amsterdam.
United’s roadmap to achieve its emission goals includes driving operational efficiencies, adding hundreds of new, fuel-efficient planes, using SAF, and investing in other low carbon onboard products and alternate propulsion technologies.
Importantly though, the airline recognises that no one carrier or industry can solve climate change alone, which is why United has also rallied the business community to scale more sustainable aviation fuel.
SAF purchased for United’s flights is paid for in part through the company’s Eco-Skies Alliance, where participating companies work together to share the “green premium,” or the cost associated with purchasing lower emission fuels.
Since 2021, the alliance has collectively contributed toward the purchase of more than 10.5 million gallons of SAF.
Launched in 2023, the UAV Sustainable Flight Fund is a first-of-its-kind investment vehicle designed to leverage support from cross-industry businesses in order to support start-ups focused on decarbonising air travel.
The fund is comprised of more than US$200 million in investment commitments from United and 21 corporate partners.