Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
EU Requires 2% SAF Blend on All Departing Flights
From November 1, 2025 the European Union now requires a 2% SAF blend on every departing flight.
Effective November 1, 2025, airlines must use a minimum 2% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend on all commercial and cargo flights departing EU airports. The new mandate — part of the EU’s Fit for 55 package — applies to European and foreign carriers operating from EU territory and aims to kick-start larger-scale SAF production and deployment across the industry.
The regulation covers every flight leaving an EU airport, regardless of destination, and sets a clear market signal for producers, airports and airlines. Regulators say the step is intended to reduce lifecycle CO₂ emissions from jet fuel and to help the bloc meet its longer-term target of net-zero emissions by 2050.
Why the 2% SAF blend matters
The immediate impact is practical: fuel suppliers, airport fuel farms and carriers must track and report SAF use, and compliance mechanisms will follow. While 2% is a modest initial level, policymakers expect it to create predictable demand that spurs capital investment in new SAF plants, feedstock collection and distribution infrastructure across Europe.
- Market signal: the 2% SAF blend requirement forces buy-in from producers and airlines.
- Scope: applies to both commercial passenger and air cargo operations departing EU territory.
- Policy fit: the measure sits inside the broader Fit for 55 climate package aimed at cutting emissions.
Airlines will need clear guidance on blending practices and accounting; airports and fuel handlers must adapt storage and delivery systems. The mandate does not prescribe a single SAF production pathway, so industry players can scale a mix of feedstocks and conversion technologies that meet sustainability criteria.
For passengers, the change won’t alter ticketing or routine flight operations immediately, but it signals a policy shift: governments are moving from voluntary SAF targets to enforceable rules. Over time, rising SAF uptake combined with efficiency measures could meaningfully reduce aviation’s carbon intensity across routes operating from EU airports.
