Air France Makes History with First SAF-Powered A220 Delivery

Air France has marked a significant milestone in sustainable aviation with the delivery of its Airbus A220-300 aircraft using a 50 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend on the ferry flight from Airbus’s Mirabel manufacturing site in Canada. This is the first time an A220 has been delivered using SAF, signaling a practical and symbolic step forward for greener aircraft deliveries.

Airbus and Air France, both top global SAF users, are using this delivery to enhance transparency and encourage industry-wide decarbonization. The 50 percent SAF blend is supported through mass-balance accounting and accompanied by Proof-of-Sustainability (PoS) credits, offering tangible, traceable climate impact.

This initiative comes at a critical time. Air France-KLM has a firm order for 60 A220-300s, many of which are expected to be delivered using SAF blends. Meanwhile, Airbus projects an 85 percent reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions thanks to the SAF used, while cutting CO₂ emissions by around 400 metric tonnes at their Mirabel site alone this year.

What This Means for the Aviation Industry

Air France’s SAF-enabled delivery sets a compelling example of how airlines and manufacturers can work together to raise the bar for climate-forward operations. By normalizing SAF right at the delivery stage, they strengthen transparency and spotlight the growing role of cleaner fuels in aviation.

This trend aligns with broader industry momentum. As airlines modernize fleets and explore zero-emission pathways like electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, SAF remains one of the most scalable tools available today for meaningful emissions reductions in aviation.

How Intertek Caleb Brett Supports SAF Growth

As the aviation industry scales up its use of sustainable aviation fuel, Intertek Caleb Brett provides comprehensive testing, inspection, and certification services to help airlines, manufacturers, and fuel producers verify fuel quality and ensure regulatory compliance. From feedstock analysis and blending verification to lifecycle emissions assessments, Intertek Caleb Brett offers the technical expertise and global laboratory network needed to build confidence in SAF adoption at every stage of the supply chain.