Neste and United Airlines Extend SAF Supply Agreements at Chicago O'Hare and Amsterdam Schiphol
Why It MattersThe extension signals continued airline-supplier commitment to scaling blended SAF deliveries across multiple international hubs as a route to lower aviation emissions.
Neste and United Airlines have extended their existing agreement to supply sustainable aviation fuel blended with conventional jet fuel to flights departing Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Under the extended contract, Neste's SAF deliveries to United at Amsterdam began in June 2026 and continued through August 2026, while deliveries to Chicago O'Hare started in July 2026 and are planned to continue until June 2027, with Neste supplying Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel blended with conventional jet fuel.
United was the first airline globally to use SAF in ongoing commercial operations and the first to purchase and use blended SAF at Chicago O'Hare, in August 2024, which is United's largest hub by daily departures. In 2025, United used over 83,000 metric tons of SAF, a 104% increase over the prior year, making it the largest SAF user among major U.S. airlines that year based on publicly available reports, and it has expanded SAF use to three additional hub airports — Newark, Washington D.C., and Houston.
Lauren Riley, Chief Sustainability Officer at United Airlines, said the airline was the first in the world to fly on blended SAF in regular operations and has spent the years since proving it can work at scale in day-to-day flying, adding that continuing the work with Neste across two continents reflects a shared conviction that SAF is scalable. Carl Nyberg, Senior Vice President, Commercial, Renewable Products business at Neste, said the extended agreement covering two international airports across two major aviation regions reflects a joint belief in the critical role of SAF in reducing aviation-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel is made from renewable raw materials such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste, and is certified for commercial use after blending up to 50% with conventional jet fuel. Neste's current global SAF production capacity stands at 1.5 million metric tons per year, with expansion to 2.2 million metric tons expected in 2027 upon completion of its Rotterdam refinery expansion. United has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
