Corporate travel demand could drive sustainable aviation fuel growth

A joint study by IATA, Airbus, and Accenture suggests that corporate travel demand could significantly multiply the requirement for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The report estimates that corporate demand could support between 1 and 1.9 million tonnes of SAF by 2030, a substantial increase from the estimated 323,000 tonnes in 2024.

To facilitate this, the study explores the potential of SAF Environmental Attribute Certificates (SAF EAc). These would allow companies to fund sustainable fuel use while accounting for emission reductions within their Scope 3 targets for business travel and air freight.

Despite this potential, significant barriers remain. SAF production is currently limited, with IATA projecting global production to reach 2.4 million tonnes by 2026, representing only 0.8% of total global aviation fuel consumption. Additionally, the cost of SAF remains two to three times higher than conventional kerosene, a gap that airlines cannot bridge alone.