United first airline to purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for O’Hare International Airport, Chicago

FRANKFURT, GERMANY - JULY 17, 2014: United Airlines aircraft logo at an aircraft in Frankfurt. United Airlines is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Edited by Travel Weekly


United is the first airline to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for use at O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago.

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 later this month.

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. Air New Zealand recently announced that it would be unable to reach its target.

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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.

Governor JB Pritzker joined the airline’s leadership at ORD to highlight the role that Illinois’ SAF tax credits played in bringing sustainable aviation fuel to one of the largest airports in the US.

“Since day one as Governor, I’ve committed to making Illinois a national leader in sustainability and clean energy, which is why I was proud to support a nation-leading SAF tax credit last year,” Pritzker said.

“Illinois’s position as a hub of innovation with some of the most connected airports in the country perfectly aligns with the work of companies like United to build a more sustainable future for travel and reach our shared goal of zero emissions.”

United president Brett Hart at the announcement.

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 right now with existing infrastructure – no changes to fuel systems or aircraft engines required.

“This is what happens when innovation, leadership and policy come together,” said United president Brett Hart. “While the market for SAF is still in its infancy, there is a huge opportunity today for airlines and policymakers to work together to support its continued growth – SAF at O’Hare was made possible thanks to Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Legislature passing tax incentives.”

United has now purchased SAF for airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, London, and Amsterdam.

“I’m pleased to see United Airlines making this significant move forward by using sustainable aviation fuel daily in flights from O’Hare,” U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) said.

United staff celebrate the achievement.

“One of the most important things we can do to make American aviation more sustainable is increase the supply of SAF. At the federal level, I’ve been pushing for the increased use of SAF, and I’m going to keep pushing to increase the supply of American-grown, American-made SAF, a true win-win solution that supports domestic farmers and blenders while reducing our nation’s carbon footprint.”

SAF purchased for United’s flights is paid for in part through the company’s Eco-Skies AllianceSM, 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.ESA companies include: Autodesk, Bank of America, BCG, DB Schenker, Envirotainer, First Eagle Investments, Marken, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Salesforce, Meta, ZS, SEKO, Sidley Austin LLP, Yusen Logistics.

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