United Airlines will begin using sustainable aviation fuel in Chicago this summer
United Airlines next month will begin using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at its Chicago O’Hare International Airport hub.
The airline expects to receive 1 million gallons of SAF at O’Hare by the end of 2024, representing about 3% of its total fuel consumption at the airport.
According to United, O’Hare is the first U.S. airport outside of California that will have a portion of its fuel supply be filled by SAF. The airline said the initiative is made possible by tax credits recently passed in the state of Illinois. “This is what happens when innovation, leadership and policy come together,” United President Brett Hart said in a statement. “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.” Globally, the aviation industry has committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to get there.
United only gets a portion of its fuel from SAF at five airports worldwide, including Chicago. The others are Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Amsterdam.
The fuel at O’Hare will be supplied by Neste and will be derived from fats, oils and greases like used cooking oil.
On Wednesday, JetBlue also announced a contract to receive a million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel at JFK airport in New York from Valero over the course of 12 months beginning in the fourth quarter of 2024. The contract includes an option for 4 million more gallons, and according to the airline is the first regular SAF supply at JFK.
