FedEx expands SAF use at Chicago and Miami
FedEx aims to obtain 30% of its fuel supply from alternative sources, on a blended basis.
FedEx has begun taking delivery of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Chicago O’Hare and Miami International airports, marking its second and third major U.S. SAF deployments in six months after Los Angeles International in May.
“Each executed agreement signals to fuel producers that airlines are willing and eager collaborators to help scale the SAF market,” says Karen Blanks Ellis, Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Environmental Affairs, FedEx. “The aviation industry still faces a mismatch between available SAF supply and carrier demand, but we are encouraged by the early signs of increased SAF production globally this calendar year.”
At O’Hare, FedEx will receive a blend to include a total of one million gallons of neat SAF at a minimum 30% blend from Air bp. With its first fuel delivery in October, FedEx became the first U.S. all-cargo airline to purchase and deploy SAF at Chicago-O’Hare International Airport.
“Existing fuel infrastructure and enabling policy conditions at the state level made sourcing SAF at O’Hare a logical next step in our alternative fuel procurement strategy,” adds Ellis.
FedEx has started receiving about three million gallons of blended SAF with a minimum 30% blend from AEG at Miami International Airport.
“With FedEx flights from Miami heading all over Latin America and the Caribbean every day, we are proud to see our Miami hub leading the way in sustainable fuel adoption,” says Luiz R. Vasconcelos, President, FedEx Latin America and the Caribbean. “This milestone reinforces our commitment and demonstrates to our customers that sustainability is not just a corporate goal; it is a regional priority. From SAF deployment in Miami to the rollout of electric delivery vehicles in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil, we’re embedding sustainable innovation across our operations and actively contributing to the corporation’s global sustainability strategy.”
Under current fuel standards, neat, or unblended, SAF is mixed with traditional jet fuel before use in an engine. Blended SAF is a “drop-in” fuel, meaning airlines do not need to make changes to existing aircraft engines or fueling infrastructure to use it. By 2030, FedEx aims to obtain 30% of its fuel supply from alternative sources, on a blended basis.
Deploying SAF is just one component of a broader FedEx aviation sustainability and fuel efficiency strategy. Though the emissions profiles of SAF and traditional jet fuel are similar when burned, the production of sustainable aviation fuel can result in up to 80% fewer lifecycle emissions compared with the extraction of conventional fuels. However, this technological reality means that reducing overall fuel consumption and increasing operational efficiency must go hand-in-hand with alternative fuel uptake in order to reach emissions goals as an industry.
Through aircraft modernisation and other fuel-saving initiatives, FedEx avoided 140 million gallons of jet fuel in FY 2024, saving the company $400 million. The airline also met its FY 2024 goal of cutting aircraft emissions intensity by 30% from a 2005 baseline and has now raised its target to a 40% reduction by 2034.
