Sustainable Aviation Fuel
What is SAF?
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is made from more sustainable resources. Like waste oils of organic origins (such as used cooking oil). This means the Sustainable Aviation Fuel we use:
- Is a renewable feedstock
- Can avoid at least 75% of the total lifecycle CO₂ emissions compared to fossil jet fuel
- Reduces other harmful emissions like particulates and sulphur
What type of fuel does KLM use?
In 2011 we carried out the world’s first commercial flight partly powered by Sustainable Aviation Fuel made from used cooking oil. KLM only buys SAF produced from raw materials that have as less negative impact on biodiversity and/or food production as possible. For example, we don’t use soy and palm oil as these sources can be responsible for high deforestation rates.
All our sustainable fuel meets the criteria issued by:
A bit of SAF for every flight from Amsterdam
We add 1% SAF to the fuel system at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol for every flight departing from Amsterdam. This means we’ve doubled the 0.5% SAF we started with in 2022. Our goal? 10% SAF by 2030. Because of the increase, we’ve adjusted our ticket prices based on the distance of each flight. Although 1% SAF might seem very little, it is an important step in the right direction.
We will have to work with all parties around us and come up with rock-solid solutions and innovations to speed up the use and production of SAF.
In 2011, KLM carried out the world’s first commercial flight partly powered by fuel made from used cooking oil.
Why not use 100% SAF?
Unfortunately, Sustainable Aviation Fuel has yet to be available on a large scale. This means that SAF is at least 3 to 4 times more expensive. Today, just a very small part of the millions of tons of kerosene used by commercial airlines is SAF. To significantly impact aviation’s overall carbon emissions, the contribution of our passengers helps.
Your eco-footprint
When you book a flight at KLM, we offer the option to buy extra SAF. The price for your contribution is calculated based on several factors that influence the amount of CO₂ emissions of your flight, like the type of aircraft, distance, and historical load factor.
With your contribution to SAF, you help to reduce air travel dependency on regular fossil fuels. We purchase 1% SAF for all flights departing from Amsterdam. It’s a start, but with your help, we can do more.
About calculating your carbon emissions
Every year the French branch of accountancy organisation KPMG audits KLM to verify whether KLM’s calculation methods comply with the methods described below and are in line with principles as defined by international guidelines. The audit scope is available in the KPMG audit report.
Our latest methods and audit report:
Check the expected amount of CO₂ emissions for your flight in My Trip or when you book a flight.
Add SAF to your booking
You can add Sustainable Aviation Fuel while making your booking. Log in to My Trip if you already have a booking and want to add SAF.
Does your booking contain more than 1 passenger? Please note that adding SAF via My Trip is no longer possible if you’ve already added it for 1 of the passengers while booking.
What do we do with your contribution to SAF?
With your contribution, we buy extra SAF that we add to the fuel system at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (or 1 of the other airports where we add SAF). Your flight will not directly include your extra SAF contribution because it is logistically inefficient and complicated to arrange.
Because we add SAF to the airport fuel system, also other flights depart with more SAF on board and therefore have lower emissions. But they can't claim CO₂ reduction because they didn't pay for it. KLM is audited annually to ensure that the claimed CO₂ reduction corresponds to the SAF certificates we have received.
Your extra SAF contribution is 100% used to buy more SAF. KLM does not make a profit on this.
Want to do more?
Though air travel is not sustainable yet, there are things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. Small things, like travelling light or bringing your water bottle or earbuds. Or more significant things, like buying Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). We also offer our passengers the option to help compensate for part of the estimated CO₂ emissions of their flight by contributing to our selected reforestation projects.
Frequently asked questions
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is made from waste and residue from the circular economy (animal fat, used cooking oil, etc.). SAF can be used interchangeably with conventional aviation fuel in jet engines. Currently, we are allowed to add a maximum of 50% SAF. We always add 1% SAF to the fuel system at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. We strive to reduce our CO₂ emissions by using more SAF in the future.
SAF can be produced from various feedstocks such as used cooking oil, municipal waste, waste gases, and agricultural residues. It can also be made from fossil-free electricity, and carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere.
SAF is a crucial solution to reducing the negative impact of aviation on the climate. The market is still in its infancy. We need to scale up the use of SAF between now and 2030 and 2050. At KLM, we expect SAF will be an essential lever to achieve net-zero emissions in 2050 and that we will continue to need SAF beyond 2050.
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel KLM uses is made from sustainable feedstock, waste materials and residues, and crops that do not compete with the food supply. It reduces CO₂ emissions compared to fossil kerosene. When flying on SAF, the climate impacts are significantly lower but not entirely reduced to zero. Therefore, at KLM, we continue to work towards minimising the climate impact of your flight, including through operational improvements and exploring alternatively powered aircraft.
When purchasing SAF, you are reducing the climate impact of your flight as less CO₂ is emitted from SAF than fossil kerosene. Unfortunately, SAF is still 3-4 times more expensive than fossil kerosene.
With reforestation, we still emit CO₂. Reforestation helps to compensate for that with trees that absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere. It will not make our flights any greener. Therefore, reforestation isn’t a sustainable solution in the long term. We aim to reduce the climate impact of flying as much as possible.