Member airlines of the oneworld alliance have announced a plan to purchase 200 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Gevo, a renewable fuels producer based in Colorado. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027 under a five-year agreement. The participating carriers—Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways—will use the SAF at airports in San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles.
“Five months ago, we committed as an alliance to a target of 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030,” said Rob Gurney, CEO of oneworld. “Today’s announcement of a second major sustainable aviation fuel offtake among member airlines builds further upon that commitment, while demonstrating the value that can be delivered when our member airlines work together.”
© oneworld Alliance
In October 2021, oneworld set a collective target of achieving 10% SAF use across its member airlines by 2030. That commitment was followed by a November 2021 agreement to purchase more than 350 million gallons of blended SAF from Aemetis for operations at San Francisco International Airport. By coordinating purchases and targets, oneworld became the first global airline alliance to jointly commit to buying sustainable aviation fuel.
Gevo produces its SAF starting from inedible corn residues, which are processed to create ethanol and then converted into jet fuel. This route aims to lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional fossil jet fuel.
“When oneworld member airlines show they understand the importance of reducing fossil-carbon greenhouse gas emissions, they start making real change in the industry,” said Dr. Patrick R. Gruber, CEO of Gevo. “Eliminating fossil-based emissions from the life-cycle of jet fuel is our mission. Net-Zero SAF is what we all want. I’m pleased that oneworld is on board.”
The new offtake complements existing SAF arrangements and reflects a broader industry shift toward greater use of lower-carbon fuels. As airlines balance operational needs with emissions reduction targets, agreements like this provide predictable demand that can help scale SAF production and encourage further investment in sustainable fuel technologies.