Europe’s largest airline groups are burning more sustainable aviation fuel than their US rivals, with IAG reported to be using more SAF than all American carriers combined. The group, which includes British Airways, is covering 3.3% of its total jet-fuel needs with SAF, ahead of Air France-KLM at 2.9% and Lufthansa Group at 1.5%, while Alaska Airlines leads the US majors at 1.0%.
The figures underline Europe’s lead in SAF adoption, but they also reflect a tougher operating environment for airlines flying under the region’s fuel-quota regime. Mandated uptake is pushing carriers to buy more of the lower-carbon fuel, but at a higher cost than conventional jet fuel, increasing compliance pressure across the market.
The gap with the US remains wide, where voluntary demand and limited supply have kept SAF penetration comparatively low. For European airlines, the policy framework is accelerating fuel switching faster than elsewhere, even as it weighs on margins and procurement strategies across long-haul and short-haul networks.