United Airlines has today announced that they have become the first airline to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for use at O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago.
On Wednesday (July 31, 2024), United Airlines announced the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for use at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), becoming the first airline operating at ORD to do so. Under the purchase agreement, SAF producer Neste will provide up to 1.0 million gallons of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ to United at ORD, with the first supply to arrive in August.
In Wednesday’s announcement, United Airlines’ President, Brett Hart, said,
“This is what happens when innovation, leadership and policy come together. 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.”
During 2023, United purchased more SAF than any other U.S. airline, and the new agreement with Neste makes O’Hare the fifth airport where the carrier has purchased SAF. To date, United has purchased SAF at airports in Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Chicago (ORD), London (LHR) and Amsterdam (AMS). On a lifecycle basis, SAF can reduce GHG emissions by up to 85 percent compared to conventional jet fuel. The SAF purchased for United’s flights has been funded in part through the carrier’s Eco-Skies Alliance, where participating companies share the cost associated with the purchase of lower emissions fuels. Since 2021, the alliance has contributed to the purchase of over 10.5 million gallons of SAF.
At United Airlines, ‘Good Leads the Way.’ The airline operates the most comprehensive network among North American carriers with U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United and United Express operate over 4,000 flights per day to more than 350 airports across six continents. In 2023, United carried more than 150 million customers, becoming the world’s largest airline as measured by available seat miles (ASMs). Shares in the company’s parent, United Airlines Holdings, Inc., are publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol ‘UAL.’
Source: United Airlines/PRNewswire
To our valued readers: As we prepare to celebrate our fifth anniversary on September 2, 2024, we have decided to enhance our visitor experience by eliminating targeted ads across our platform. In order to make up for lost revenue, we are transitioning to a reader supported model, without a paywall, annoying pop-ups or a required subscription. We thank you for your generous support!