Heathrow Airport has announced plans to significantly increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel across its operations in 2026, setting a target that goes beyond the UK’s national mandate for sustainable fuel blending.
Under the UK Government’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate, fuel suppliers are required to ensure that sustainable fuels make up 3.6% of the total UK jet fuel mix in 2026. Heathrow has stated that it intends to exceed this requirement, targeting up to 5.6% sustainable aviation fuel use across the airport.
If achieved, this would see approximately 350,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel supplied through Heathrow in 2026, reflecting a growing push within the aviation sector to accelerate emissions reductions ahead of regulatory timelines.
The move forms part of Heathrow’s wider net zero strategy and reflects the increasing role of sustainable fuels as a near term decarbonisation pathway for aviation.
Incentives to accelerate SAF adoption
A key barrier to the widespread adoption of SAF is cost. SAF can currently be significantly more expensive than conventional fossil-based jet fuel due to limited production capacity and supply chain constraints.
To help address this challenge, Heathrow is expanding its sustainable aviation fuel incentive programme. More than £80 million will be made available to airlines operating at the airport in 2026 in order to support SAF uptake.
The incentive works by helping to bridge the price difference between conventional jet fuel and sustainable alternatives. By reducing the cost premium faced by airlines, Heathrow aims to encourage greater volumes of SAF to be delivered and used through the airport’s fuel supply system.
The airport has been running SAF incentive programmes since 2022 as part of its strategy to stimulate demand and support the development of the wider UK SAF market.
The role of sustainable fuels in aviation decarbonisation
Sustainable aviation fuel is widely seen as one of the most important tools available to reduce emissions from aviation in the near to medium term, particularly for long haul flights where electrification and hydrogen technologies remain further from commercial deployment.
SAF can be produced from a range of alternative feedstocks including waste oils, agricultural residues and municipal waste. According to the UK Government, sustainable aviation fuels can deliver lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions savings of more than 70% compared with conventional jet fuel.
While SAF does not eliminate emissions from aircraft engines during flight, the lower carbon intensity of the fuel production process significantly reduces overall lifecycle emissions.
For this reason, increasing the availability and use of SAF is widely viewed as a critical step in aviation’s pathway towards net zero.
Looking ahead to 2030
Heathrow’s ambitions extend beyond 2026. The airport has outlined a longer-term goal for sustainable aviation fuel to represent around 11 percent of the total fuel used at Heathrow by 2030.
This would place Heathrow slightly ahead of the UK Government’s national target of 10 percent SAF within the UK aviation fuel mix by the end of the decade.
However, achieving these targets will depend heavily on the growth of SAF production capacity. Industry groups and policymakers continue to highlight the need for investment in domestic fuel production facilities to improve supply security and reduce reliance on imported feedstocks.
As governments and industry work to scale up supply, initiatives and incentive programme are expected to play a key role in increasing early demand and supporting the transition to lower carbon aviation fuels.
Find out more about the government mandate and SAF incentives on GOV.UK: Sustainable aviation fuel initiatives – GOV.UK The SAF Mandate: an essential guide – GOV.UK