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American Airlines, Google unlock 35 million gallons of SAF, cutting nearly 300,000 tons of emissions
American Airlines and Google have announced a landmark sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) agreement that will unlock 35 million gallons of SAF over the next three years, supporting nearly 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions reductions.
The companies said the deal represents the largest publicly announced sustainable aviation fuel certificate (SAFc) agreement between an airline and a single corporate customer to date, underscoring growing corporate demand for low-carbon aviation solutions.
Long-term commitment supports SAF market growth:
Under the agreement, American Airlines will purchase and take delivery of sustainable aviation fuel at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) using existing fuel infrastructure. The SAF component will be produced from waste-based feedstocks, including used cooking oil.
Google will receive the environmental attributes associated with the fuel through the SAFc Registry, enabling the company to address emissions generated by employee business travel through a transparent and traceable book-and-claim system.
The long-term nature of the agreement also enabled American Airlines to secure a new SAF offtake arrangement with Valero Marketing and Supply Company, strengthening supply certainty and supporting further market development.
Companies seek to accelerate aviation decarbonization:
The partnership comes as airlines and corporate customers increasingly look to sustainable aviation fuel as one of the most viable pathways to reduce emissions from air travel, one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize.
“By entering into this long-term commitment, we are sending a vital demand signal to catalyze investment and bring more SAF to market,” said Kate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer at Google.
American Airlines said the agreement reflects its broader strategy to scale SAF adoption and support the development of a more resilient and cost-competitive supply chain for sustainable fuels.
Illinois incentives help expand SAF deployment:
The agreement was facilitated in part by Illinois’ sustainable aviation fuel tax credit, enacted by Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly.
The policy support is expected to help increase SAF volumes delivered to Chicago O’Hare, one of the largest aviation hubs in the United States, while encouraging additional investment across the state’s clean energy and aviation sectors.
According to Governor Pritzker, the partnership demonstrates how public policy can help bring together major industry players to accelerate the transition toward cleaner transportation fuels.
SAF remains critical to aviation’s net-zero ambitions:
The global aviation sector generates more than US$4 trillion in annual economic activity and supports approximately 86.5 million jobs worldwide. At the same time, aviation accounts for an estimated 2% to 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Sustainable aviation fuel is widely viewed as a critical decarbonization tool because it can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional jet fuel, depending on feedstock and production methods.
Despite growing interest, industry experts note that significant investment is still needed to expand production capacity and lower costs to meet future demand.
Collaboration extends beyond sustainable fuels:
In addition to the SAF agreement, American Airlines and Google have been collaborating on other aviation climate initiatives.
In 2025, the companies partnered with Contrails.org and Flightkeys on a 16-week operational trial integrating contrail avoidance into flight planning processes. The initiative achieved a statistically significant 62% reduction in contrail formation, helping reduce aviation-related warming effects beyond direct carbon emissions.
The latest SAF agreement further strengthens the companies’ efforts to advance practical, scalable solutions aimed at reducing the aviation sector’s environmental footprint.
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