Partnering for the future of flying

Reaching environmental sustainability is a journey, and we’re in it for the long haul.

For over a decade, we’ve been building one of the world’s largest airline carbon offsetting programs, and now we’re establishing Australia’s first coalition program to support decarbonising aviation through sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Climate action is more effective together, and the Qantas Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition program offers our corporate partners the opportunity to help contribute to the use of SAF and to minimise the impact of flying on the environment by aiding the transition to low-emission technologies.

Australia’s first SAF Coalition program

Our program supports the development of a domestic SAF sector while helping ambitious and environmentally conscious corporations meet their sustainability targets.

As a member of the Qantas SAF Coalition, corporations contribute to direct emission reductions by contributing to the incremental cost of SAF being purchased by Qantas.

These partnerships are crucial to making SAF affordable, which can be several times more expensive than traditional jet fuel.

Meet the founding members of the SAF Coalition

Sustainable Aviation Fuel

What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel?

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is non-fossil derived aviation fuel that can be made from sustainable biogenic sources such as used cooking oils, council waste, plant oils, agricultural residues and non-biological sources. Biogenic SAF has the potential to reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 80 per cent compared to conventional jet fuel. Non-biogenic SAF — or synthetic fuel - or efuels — is a pathway which utilises carbon dioxide, green hydrogen and significant amounts of renewable electricity to synthesise a liquid fuel with favourable sustainability characteristics (emissions are reduced by up to 90 per cent compared to fossil fuels).

With our goal to reach net zero by 2050, we’re entering into partnerships to accelerate the use of SAF across our fleet, and the development of a SAF industry in Australia. Along with our current carbon offset initiatives, reduced waste and operational efficiencies, we’re targeting 10 percent of our fuel to come from SAF by 2030 and ~60 per cent by 2050.

Watch the video to find out more about SAF and how it will help contribute to achieving our sustainability goals.

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Watch the video

Join our SAF Coalition program

Learn more about how your company can join our Coalition to reduce your carbon emissions, elevate your sustainability credentials and drive a more sustainable future for aviation.

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Unlock Green Tier with the Qantas SAF Coalition

Green Tier recognises and rewards Qantas Frequent Flyers for making sustainable choices at home and when they travel. As a member of the Qantas SAF Coalition, employees will get a head start in their own journey to achieving Green Tier status with business travel recognised as one of the required activities for achieving Green Tier.*

Learn more about Green Tier

A commitment to Australia’s sustainable aviation fuel market

Climate action is more effective together, which is why Qantas and Airbus have entered into a landmark agreement, under which Qantas and Airbus together are committing to invest up to US$200 million to accelerate the establishment of a SAF industry in Australia.

We see great value in partnering with Airbus to invest in locally developed and produced SAF and feedstock initiatives.
Projects will have to be commercially viable and meet a strict set of criteria around environmental sustainability.

Further detail on our Group Climate Action Plan and SAF strategy can be found in our 2022 Sustainability ReportOpens external site.

Frequently asked questions

SAF is an umbrella term which describes aviation fuel that is a blend of traditional jet fuel produced from hydrocarbons and aviation jet kerosene produced from sustainable feedstock. It includes certified, sustainably sourced biogenic sources such as used cooking oil, waste (eg. animal tallow and council waste), plant oils and forestry residues as well as non-biogenic sources (ie. synthetic e-fuels) such as green hydrogen (derived from renewable energy) and sequestered carbon dioxide.

Generally, SAF is produced via a number of approved technical pathways and then mixed with conventional jet fuel (up to a certified 50 per cent blending ratio).
Since the start of 2022, Qantas has been purchasing SAF being delivered at London Heathrow Airport, which represents around 15 percent of the volume of fuel we ordinarily consume annually for flights out of London.

We have also signed a deal to buy almost 20 million litres of blended SAF per year out of San Francisco from 2025, which represents around 10 percent of fuel we ordinarily consume annually for flights out of San Francisco. The deal will potentially see Qantas purchasing SAF out of Los Angeles as well.

The SAF being delivered at London is supplied by bp. The US fuel is supplied by NASDAQ-listed biofuels company Aemetis.

We are having advanced conversations with different companies at our overseas ports, as well as in Australia, in relation to the supply and production of SAF. We’re keen to really move the dial on Australian SAF production and hopefully our financial commitments towards a domestic SAF market will be a key enabler.
The cost of SAF is currently more expensive than conventional fossil jet fuel, which is part of the reason why we are working with industry and Government to kick start Australia’s domestic SAF production.

We have undertaken a cost optimisation approach to buying SAF where we aim to buy close to price parity with conventional fossil jet fuel. That said, we’ve seen that our customers are willing to pay a bit extra to travel sustainably, so we are developing products to enable eco-conscious travellers to fly using SAF.

Important Information

Disclaimer: * You must be a Qantas Frequent Flyer to earn and use Qantas Points. A joining fee may apply. Membership and points are subject to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program Terms and Conditions.
To be eligible for Green Tier status, Qantas Frequent Flyer members must complete one activity in five out of six Green Tier categories in a Membership Year. Members must be residing in Australia with an Australian residential address in their profile. Members must be logged in to their Qantas Frequent Flyer account when completing the relevant activity (for example, booking an eco-accredited hotel) and residing in Australia with an Australian residential address in their profile.
In order to be recognised for the Green Tier activity associated with the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition, you must be a Qantas Frequent Flyer and your employer must be a member of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition. Your flight must be booked with your employer’s QCI code for a flight date which is on or after 1 July 2022, and your Qantas Frequent Flyer member must be added to the booking. Your eligible flight will be recognised as a Green Tier activity in the “Offset flying” category by 31 January 2023 and all eligible flights flown after that date will be recognised 7 days after your flight.