Airbus Delivers A220 to Air France Fueled with 50% SAF Blend

(MIRABEL) Airbus and Air France on August 25, 2025 completed the first-ever delivery of an Airbus A220 powered by a 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend on its ferry flight from Mirabel, Canada, to Paris. Both companies announced the milestone the same day, calling it a concrete step in their plans to cut emissions and speed up the use of cleaner fuel in commercial aviation.

Airbus said 78% of its aircraft deliveries in the first half of 2025 included a SAF blend, a sharp rise that shows airlines are moving from pilots and trials to routine use. For Air France, the A220 sits at the heart of a fleet renewal drive focused on modern, efficient jets.

What happened on August 25, 2025

• The delivery flight used a 50% SAF blend, the current maximum allowed under international fuel standards for commercial flights.
• Airbus coordinated with fuel suppliers at Mirabel to source and blend certified SAF so the new aircraft could be ferried home on a cleaner flight.
• Post-flight emissions data was collected after landing for reporting and analysis to track progress and inform regulators and future supply planning.

This operation was conducted as a standard ferry flight, not a one-off ceremony—Airbus’ approach is to make SAF availability at handover a practical, repeatable step.

Why the 50% blend matters

• 50% is the current regulatory maximum for commercial operations under international standards, so this flight used the highest allowable mix today.
• Using SAF now reduces lifecycle emissions immediately, rather than waiting for future technologies.
• Europe’s ReFuelEU Aviation policy, in force in 2025, mandates a steady increase in SAF at EU airports and is expected to boost both supply and demand. Official information: https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-modes/air/sustainable-aviation-fuels-refueleu-aviation_en.

The role of the A220 in Air France’s strategy

• Air France says the A220 helps lower emissions per passenger-kilometer and supports European and French climate targets.
• The A220 family offers up to 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions compared with the aircraft it replaces, and this advantage compounds when SAF is added.
• Because short- and medium-haul flying makes up a large share of Air France’s network, a more efficient narrowbody is central to daily operations and long-term emissions goals.

Airbus’ SAF delivery program

• Airbus expands a SAF delivery option by coordinating with suppliers to blend certified SAF at the departure airport, making clean handovers routine.
• The company collects emissions data from these deliveries to support reporting and planning.
• The share of deliveries using SAF is a key metric: Airbus reported 78% of deliveries in H1 2025 included a SAF blend, suggesting the option is becoming standard practice at handover.

Financial and leasing support: ABL Aviation

• ABL Aviation, a major lessor involved in Air France’s A220 program, emphasized both environmental and operational gains.
• The A220 delivered on August 25 falls under a 16-aircraft mandate managed by ABL for Air France, with 11 aircraft delivered as of April 2025.
• Lessors’ buy-in can speed adoption by scaling new aircraft types across fleets and aligning financing with fuel and fleet changes.

Fleet scale and fleet renewal context

• By May 2025, Air France’s A220 fleet reached 43 aircraft, placing the carrier among the world’s top five A220 operators.
• A growing A220 fleet increases opportunities to blend SAF into routine operations as supply expands and helps advance company-wide emissions targets.
• The August 25 delivery reinforces the broader trend: more modern aircraft entering service, more SAF blended where standards allow, and steady data-gathering to back decisions.

Constraints and industry reaction

• Analysts point to cost and availability as near-term constraints for SAF: it generally costs more and is harder to source than conventional jet fuel.
• High-profile deliveries like Mirabel–Paris can help by:
  • Signaling demand to producers,
  • Creating predictable offtake that encourages investment,
  • Increasing supplier confidence and scale.
• Environmental groups support the move but urge faster expansion of SAF supply and broader use beyond delivery flights.
• Airline executives describe SAF as a bridge technology toward net zero while zero-emission aircraft options mature.

Practical, repeatable model from the operation

1. Airbus arranged certified SAF at Mirabel with suppliers.
2. SAF was blended to 50% and used for the ferry flight.
3. The flight operated normally; after landing, data was recorded for internal and external reporting.

• This documentation is vital for verifying progress against climate plans and meeting 2025 European reporting needs.

Policy, product, and operations alignment

• The delivery demonstrates alignment between policy (ReFuelEU Aviation), product (A220’s efficiency), and operations (SAF-enabled handovers).
• Air France aims for 10% SAF across all flights by 2030, in line with EU targets—achieving this will require coordination among aircraft makers, airlines, lessors, airports, and fuel producers.

Communications and sources

• Airbus maintains a newsroom with program and delivery information at https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom.
• Air France provides corporate news and sustainability goals at https://corporate.airfrance.com.
• Details on ABL Aviation’s support can be found at https://ablaviation.com.
• Official information on ReFuelEU Aviation: https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-modes/air/sustainable-aviation-fuels-refueleu-aviation_en.

Key takeaways

• The Mirabel–Paris delivery combined three linked threads:
  • A modern, efficient Airbus A220;
  • A 50% SAF blend—the highest allowed today;
  • A European policy backdrop set to increase SAF use.
• With 78% of Airbus deliveries in early 2025 including a SAF blend, the industry is building experience and supply-chain capability that can scale up routine SAF use across networks.
• While the handover does not change fares or schedules, it strengthens supply, handling know-how, and regulatory data—practical building blocks for a larger industry shift.