Flights of the future: SAF is coming to Chicago O’Hare Airport

United Airlines next month will begin using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at its Chicago O’Hare International Airport hub. 
The airline expects to receive 1 million gallons of SAF at O’Hare by the end of 2024, representing about 3% of its total fuel consumption at the airport. 
According to United, O’Hare is the first U.S. airport outside of California that will have a portion of its fuel supply be filled by SAF. The airline said the initiative is made possible by tax credits recently passed in the state of Illinois. 
“This is what happens when innovation, leadership and policy come together,” United President Brett Hart said in a statement. “While the market for SAF is still in its infancy, there is a huge opportunity today for airlines and policymakers to work together to support its continued growth – SAF at O’Hare was made possible thanks to Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Legislature passing tax incentives.” 
First of its kind:Onboard the Virgin Atlantic sustainable aviation fuel flight to NY
Globally, the aviation industry has committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to get there. 
United only gets a portion of its fuel from SAF at five airports worldwide, including Chicago. The others are Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Amsterdam. 
The fuel at O’Hare will be supplied by Neste and will be derived from fats, oils and greases like used cooking oil. 
On Wednesday, JetBlue also announced a contract to receive a million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel at JFK airport in New York from Valero over the course of 12 months beginning in the fourth quarter of 2024. The contract includes an option for 4 million more gallons, and according to the airline is the first regular SAF supply at JFK.
Sustainable aviation fuel is a technology that allows jets to fly without traditional petroleum-based fuels. It’s made from renewable sources like used cooking oil, biomass or even direct-air carbon capture. While SAF usually still emits greenhouse gases while being used, its production process is much more environmentally friendly than traditional aviation fuel. 
SAF is meant as a drop-in replacement for traditional aviation fuel, which means any plane should be able to fly with it, without needing expensive modifications. Current regulations only allow SAF to be used in a 50% blend with traditional jet fuel for commercial flights, and some minor modifications may be needed to support 100% SAF flights over the long term due to the chemical makeup of SAF differing slightly from traditional fuel and interacting with certain plane components differently.  
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]