American Airlines, Gevo sign agreement for purchase of SAF

American Airlines announced it's finalized an agreement with biofuel company Gevo, Inc. for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Over five years, American has committed to buying 500 MM gallons of SAF, the foremost significant SAF offtake commitment to this point for the carrier.

“Today’s announcement may be a historic success for American and our industry as we work to scale back our carbon footprint,” said Jill Blickstein, American’s vp of Sustainability. “The use of SAF may be a cornerstone of our strategy to decarbonize travelling. While this landmark investment represents meaningful action by American Airlines, driving progress at the size and pace we want requires critical policy action in Washington and at the State level. Alongside our oneworld partners, we’re proud to guide the way within the shift to SAF and make progress toward our shared climate goals.”

American’s Gevo agreement was developed alongside others within the oneworld alliance. In September 2020, oneworld became the primary global airline alliance to announce a target of carbon neutrality by 2050, establishing its commitment to long-term sustainability for the industry. The alliance followed up that commitment with an intermediate goal to realize 10% SAF use across the member airlines by 2030.

The agreement brings American’s total low-carbon fuel commitments to over 620 million gallons — fulfilling roughly 20% of the airline’s goal to switch 10% of jet fuel usage with SAF by 2030. The SAF deliveries are expected to start in 2026 from future commercial operations of Gevo.

“The expansion of the worldwide development of the SAF marketplace has reached an exciting point,” said Dr. Patrick R. Gruber, Gevo’s Chief military officer. “While there's an amazing amount of lab Orto complete to bring all the critical elements of net-zero carbon SAF to the marketplace, our memoranda of understanding with oneworld alliance members and this subsequent commitment from American Airlines demonstrates the important momentum that's building for these kinds of products. I’m thrilled that Gevo is poised to still provide leadership for this development.”

American’s aggressive climate goals include achieving net-zero gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. that features becoming the primary airline globally to receive validation from the Science Based Targets initiative for its 2035 GHG emissions reduction targets. In 2021, American received a CDP temperature change score of “A-” — the best score among airlines in North America, and one in all only two airlines globally to get that top. The company’s most up-to-date ESG Report further details its forward-looking goals for the approaching years and its reach date.