Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is increasingly delivering higher performance and presenting a credible alternative to conventional hydrocarbons that power today’s fleets. The clearest proof is a transoceanic journey completed entirely with SAF, demonstrating that a passenger aircraft can operate on this fuel alone.
Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 787, Flight 100, departed from London Heathrow and headed to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, with notable onboard participants including company founder Richard Branson and Virgin Atlantic leadership. The flight marked a historic milestone as the first long-distance commercial route operated using only sustainable aviation fuel, not a blend of SAF and traditional jet fuel.
Flight 100 stands as a milestone in aerial decarbonization, illustrating that SAF can function as a viable tool for reducing aviation emissions. The airline notes that reaching this milestone required radical collaboration and sustained commitment to decarbonize long-haul travel, while acknowledging that more work remains to be done.
During this mission the flight used SAF derived from waste feedstocks. The fuel combined sources such as used cooking oil and discarded animal fats, with a portion of synthetic aromatic kerosene produced from agricultural byproducts. Virgin Atlantic cited the fuel’s composition as essential to achieving lower lifecycle emissions while maintaining jet fuel performance and safety standards.
Aviation authorities and industry observers suggest that SAF will enable meaningful emissions reductions even before electric or hydrogen-powered aircraft become commonplace. Today, SAF is blended with kerosene for most operations, with ongoing research aimed at expanding its share and advancing production methods.
Air travel contributes a notable share of global carbon dioxide emissions. Industry analyses indicate that aviation accounts for a portion of energy-related emissions, highlighting the need for continued progress in low-carbon fuels and other decarbonization strategies as technological and regulatory landscapes evolve.
As leaders in the sector emphasize, the message is clear: innovation in SAF is a practical step toward cleaner skies. The broader goal remains to decarbonize long-haul aviation while scaling up sustainable fuel production, improving supply chains, and aligning policy frameworks to support investment and adoption across the industry.