London Heathrow Airport increases SAF incentive to exceed UK mandate in 2026

London Heathrow Airport has expanded its Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) incentive scheme for 2026, setting an ambitious target to go about 2% above the UK Government’s mandated level of 3.6% and reach 5.6% SAF use next year. The move reflects the airport’s desire to accelerate the use of lower-carbon fuels throughout its operations.

More than £80 million has been made available to airlines to help bridge the price difference between conventional jet fuel and SAF, making the cleaner alternative more commercially viable. If the 5.6% target is met, London Heathrow estimates that up to 350,000 tonnes of SAF could be uplifted at the airport in 2026, potentially reducing carbon emissions by around 600,000 tonnes.

The enhanced incentive programme is part of London Heathrow’s net zero strategy and aims to increase the share of SAF even further in the coming years, targeting 11% of fuel uplift by 2030, ahead of the Government’s expected UK mandate.

Find out more in London Heathrow Airport’s release here.