FedEx has started using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Chicago-O’Hare and Miami International Airports, expanding its efforts to lower emissions from air operations. The company began receiving blended SAF deliveries at both airports in October, marking the second and third major U.S. deployments of this type of fuel by FedEx within six months. In May, FedEx made its first large-scale U.S. SAF deployment at Los Angeles International Airport.
Karen Blanks Ellis, chief sustainability officer and vice president of Environmental Affairs at FedEx, said, “Each executed agreement signals to fuel producers that airlines are willing and eager collaborators to help to scale the SAF market.” She added, “The aviation industry still faces a mismatch between available SAF supply and carrier demand, but we are encouraged by the early signs of increased SAF production globally this calendar year.”
At Chicago-O’Hare International Airport, FedEx will receive a blend that includes one million gallons of neat SAF at a minimum 30% blend from Air bp. With this delivery in October, FedEx became the first U.S. all-cargo airline to purchase and use SAF at O’Hare.
Blanks Ellis noted, “Existing fuel infrastructure and enabling policy conditions at the state level made sourcing SAF at O’Hare a logical next step in our alternative fuel procurement strategy.”
In Miami, FedEx is taking delivery of about three million gallons of blended SAF with a minimum 30% blend from AEG.
Luiz R. Vasconcelos, president of FedEx Latin America and the Caribbean stated: “With FedEx flights from Miami heading all over Latin America and the Caribbean every day, we are proud to see our Miami hub leading the way in sustainable fuel adoption. This milestone reinforces our commitment and demonstrates to our customers that sustainability is not just a corporate goal—it is a regional priority. From SAF deployment in Miami to the rollout of electric delivery vehicles in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil, we’re embedding sustainable innovation across our operations and actively contributing to the corporation’s global sustainability strategy.”
Sustainable aviation fuel is mixed with traditional jet fuel before being used in aircraft engines. Airlines can use blended SAF without modifying existing engines or fueling systems. By 2030, FedEx aims for 30% of its total jet fuel supply to come from alternative sources on a blended basis.
Although burning SAF produces similar emissions as traditional jet fuel during flight, producing it can reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional fuels when calculated using established methodologies such as CORSIA.
FedEx’s broader approach includes reducing overall jet fuel consumption through aircraft modernization and other efficiency initiatives. In fiscal year 2024 (FY24), these measures helped avoid using 140 million gallons of jet fuel—saving $400 million—and allowed FedEx to meet its previous target for reducing aircraft emissions intensity by 30% from a 2005 baseline ahead of schedule. The company now targets a 40% reduction by 2034.
More information about FedEx’s sustainability goals—including achieving carbon-neutral global operations by 2040—is available on their website: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/sustainability/our-approach.html
FedEx Corp., which had annual revenue of $89 billion last year and employs more than half a million people worldwide, says it remains committed to responsible business practices as it works toward its environmental objectives.
