Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) describes non-conventional jet fuels produced from more sustainable resources (also referred to as feedstocks). We continue to invest in SAF, a vital way to help reduce aviation’s impact on the planet.

Whilst only available in small supply globally, the SAF we use can reduce lifecycle emissions by 80% or more compared to traditional jet fuel. It’s made from feedstocks like used cooking oil and crop wastes, meeting all the same rigorous safety and quality standards as traditional jet fuel. Whether it’s crop residues, household waste, or forestry offcuts, these all contain carbon that can be converted into SAF, to power our aircraft. So while the emissions are the same for SAF and fossil fuels, SAF has the benefit of essentially recycling carbon that’s already in circulation, and therefore it reduces emissions over the carbon lifecycle.

While carbon offsets are delivered by projects that remove or reduce emissions, "carbon removals" strictly refer to projects that remove carbon. Put differently, when you purchase carbon removals, you are supporting projects (e.g., nature-based solutions or technologies) that withdraw carbon from the atmosphere or remove it from the carbon cycle, and then store the carbon for the medium to long-term.

We combine the data that you enter with data from the airline to calculate your emissions. If your flight is within Europe, we adjust the emissions calculation to reflect the emissions already reduced by British Airways’ participation in regulatory systems including the UK and EU Emissions Trading Systems so that we aren’t double counting these emissions.

Similar to green electricity tariffs, there isn’t a special SAF infrastructure that sends SAF to particular flights. Instead, the SAF will be procured and ‘dropped-in’ i.e. mixed into the existing fuel infrastructure. This is because the SAF is blended with conventional fuel before it reaches an aircraft. To maximise efficiency, SAF is put into the fuel infrastructure system at strategic locations rather than at multiple locations. Nevertheless, this purchase-based approach to attribution of SAF means that the SAF you buy can be attributed to you. British Airways will ensure that the SAF is sourced and consumed no later than 12 months after a customer has made a SAF purchase.

This service is hosted by climate tech company CHOOOSE™. CHOOOSE delivers a platform that enables both individuals and organisations to understand their carbon footprint, make more carbon-informed decisions, and support trusted climate solutions around the world. For more information, please visit chooose.today.