Heathrow sets ambitious 5.6% SAF target for year ahead

Heathrow Airport has an ambitious plan to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) across its operations in 2026, setting a target of 5.6% of all fuel uplifted at the airport to be SAF.
This figure is significantly above the UK government’s mandated requirement of 3.6% for the same year, underlining Heathrow’s commitment to driving decarbonisation in aviation. The target forms part of Heathrow’s SAF incentive programme, now in its fifth year, which aims to make SAF more commercially viable for airlines by narrowing the cost gap between conventional jet fuel and its sustainable alternative.
In 2026, Heathrow will make more than £80 million (€91 million) available to airlines to support the uplift of SAF at the hub.
If achieved, the 5.6% SAF share would equate to around 350,000 tonnes of fuel and could lower lifecycle carbon emissions by approximately 600,000 tonnes in 2026 – roughly equivalent to the emissions from nearly one million economy-class return flights between Heathrow and New York’s JFK Airport.
Matt Gorman, director of sustainability at Heathrow, said SAF is already delivering tangible impact in 2026 and described the airport as a global leader in SAF adoption. Heathrow accounts for a substantial share of worldwide SAF usage and views the fuel as a critical lever in aviation’s journey towards net-zero by 2050.
Looking ahead, Heathrow aims to further raise the SAF proportion to 11% by 2030, outpacing the UK government’s 10% mandate for that year.