United Airlines set to purchase sustainable jet fuel at O’Hare International Airport

A major airline is set to become the first in Illinois to buy sustainable jet fuel.

United Airlines is set to purchase one million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, at O’Hare International Airport through the end of year. The first supply is set to be delivered in August. The fuel at O’Hare will be derived from fats, oils and greases like used cooking oil, but can also be made from agricultural waste.

The airline said the initiative is made possible by tax credits passed by the Illinois General Assembly.

“The tax credits they championed and enacted incentivized SAF adoption by airlines like United and helped grow the overall marketplace,” said United President Brett Hart during a news conference Wednesday.

In 2023, Illinois passed an incentive to support sustainable aviation fuel, creating a $1.50 per gallon purchase tax credit to support the supply and use of the fuel within the state.

“Our persistence in the fight against climate change is what inspired the sustainable aviation fuel credit, and it’s our world class agricultural industry, our evolving infrastructure, and our state’s natural advantages that have positioned us for success in this pursuit,” said Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

SAF can be a replacement for traditional aviation fuel, and any plane should be able to fly with it, without needing costly modifications. Existing regulations only allow SAF to be used in a 50% blend with traditional jet fuel for commercial flights.

The fuel can emit up to 85% less carbon on a life cycle basis, compared to jet fuel.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Illinois ranked fifth in the country for jet fuel consumption in 2022.

O’Hare is the fifth airport in the world where United has bought SAF for operational use, the most airports of any U.S. airline. The airline is also using it in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Amsterdam.