(SINGAPORE) — Starting April 1, 2026, tickets you buy for departures from Singapore will come with a new sustainable aviation fuel levy, and it’ll show up like any other airline surcharge. If you connect through Changi often—especially on long-haul trips to Dubai and the UAE—this is a small new cost you’ll want to price in before you click “pay.”
My quick verdict: as “fees” go, Singapore’s SAF levy is one of the cleaner, more predictable ones I’ve seen. It’s clearly scoped, exempts true connecting passengers, and comes with a fixed-rate promise through 2028. You won’t feel it onboard the way you feel a tighter seat or worse catering. But you will notice it when you compare total trip costs across hubs.
Below is a traveler-first review of what this new levy means in real life, plus how it stacks up against alternatives for trips between Singapore, Dubai, and beyond.
The basics: what you’re buying (and when)
Singapore is adding a sustainable aviation fuel levy to fund the purchase of SAF for flights departing the city-state. The policy is built around a 1% SAF target for 2026, with higher targets planned later.
Here are the dates that matter.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Parliamentary authorization | Oct. 14, 2025 (Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore Amendment Bill) |
| Ticket-sale trigger | Tickets sold from Apr. 1, 2026 |
| Levy applies to departures | From Oct. 1, 2026 |
| Exempt travelers | Transit and transfer passengers |
| Rate stability | Fixed through 2028, then reviewed when SAF targets change |
📅 Key Date: Buy your ticket before April 1, 2026 if you want to avoid the levy on eligible departures after October 1, 2026.
1) Overview: SAF levy introduction and why Singapore’s move matters
A sustainable aviation fuel levy is a government-set charge added to departing travel. The idea is simple. SAF usually costs more than conventional jet fuel. A levy raises money to cover part of that premium and help build a steady market.
Why does Singapore matter so much here?
Because Singapore is one of the world’s most connected air hubs. When Changi changes how fuel is bought and blended, airlines notice. So do corporate travel managers, cargo forwarders, and frequent flyers who route trips through Singapore for schedule, reliability, and loyalty benefits.
There’s also a bigger regional story. Southeast Asia has strong potential for SAF feedstocks and refining. That gives the region a shot at becoming a meaningful supply hub. Singapore’s move is an early “demand signal” to help pull that supply forward.
In plain English: Singapore isn’t just charging a fee. It’s trying to make SAF an everyday fuel at one of Asia’s busiest hubs.
2) Levy details and implementation: who pays, who doesn’t, and how the bands work
This is where travelers tend to worry about surprise charges. Singapore’s structure is more straightforward than most people expect.
Who is covered
- Origin-destination passengers departing Singapore
- Cargo shipments departing Singapore
- General and business aviation departing Singapore
So, if you start in Singapore and fly to Dubai, the levy applies. If you ship cargo out of Singapore, it applies too.
Who is exempt (and why you should care)
Transit and transfer passengers are exempt. In practice, that usually means you arrive from another country and connect onward at Changi without “starting” your trip in Singapore.
This matters for two groups:
- Travelers who route Europe–Singapore–Australia (or similar) on a single connection
- Mileage runners and status chasers who often build itineraries through hubs
If you’re connecting, you generally won’t pay this specific departure levy. If you’re originating in Singapore, you generally will.
When the levy applies
- Purchase date: tickets sold from April 1, 2026 onward
- Travel date: departures from October 1, 2026 onward
That purchase-date trigger is the traveler-friendly part. It gives you a real window to lock in old pricing.
How the pricing bands work
The levy ranges from $1 to $41.60, depending on:
- Flight distance (longer flights use more fuel)
- Travel class (premium cabins take up more space, so they’re allocated more emissions)
Singapore is applying a “fair share” logic. A long-haul business-class seat gets a higher levy than a short-hop economy seat.
Here’s a simplified view, without drowning you in a full rate card.
| What drives the levy | What it means for your ticket |
|---|---|
| Distance | Longer routes generally pay more |
| Cabin class | Premium cabins generally pay more |
| Fixed-rate approach | Less fare-whiplash through 2028 |
Who administers it
The levy was authorized by Parliament. Administration runs through the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, which is important for consistency. You’re less likely to see airlines interpreting the policy five different ways.
“Fixed through 2028” is a bigger deal than it sounds
Singapore plans to keep the levy at a fixed rate through 2028, even if global SAF prices swing. That gives airlines and travelers a stable number to plan around. It also reduces the odds of “surprise” add-ons mid-year.
⚠️ Heads Up: Even if your airline advertises “no fuel surcharge,” this is different. This is a government SAF levy tied to departing Singapore.
3) Where the money goes: SAFCo and “central procurement” at Changi and Seletar
The levy revenue funds a new entity: the Singapore Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company (SAFCo).
This is the part that will matter to you over time, even if you never think about it again. SAFCo is set up to centrally procure SAF, then blend it into the fuel system at Changi and Seletar.
What central procurement means for airlines (and passengers)
Instead of every airline separately sourcing SAF contracts, SAFCo buys supply for the hub. Airlines then uplift blended fuel through normal operations.
For travelers, central buying can mean:
- More consistent availability of blended fuel at the hub
- Less “greenwashing by press release,” because the supply is managed at system level
- Fewer one-off airline programs that only apply on select flights
Why blending matters
Aircraft can’t just be fueled with random mixtures on the ramp. Blending needs to meet strict fuel standards, with traceability and compatibility across aircraft types. Treating SAF as part of the airport’s fuel supply improves reliability.
SAFCo was announced in November 2025, and this levy is the funding engine that makes SAF purchasing routine rather than occasional.
4) Singapore’s SAF targets: the 1% start, and what “3–5% by 2030” really means
Singapore’s near-term target is a 1% SAF target in 2026. That means 1% of all jet fuel used at its airports is intended to be SAF.
At a major hub, 1% is not trivial. Changi’s scale means even a small percentage requires real supply planning and real contracts.
By 2030, Singapore is aiming for 3–5%. That range is intentional. SAF supply, approved pathways, and global pricing are still developing. A single hard number could force the system into paying any price, or missing the goal.
Does SAF equal “instant emissions cuts”?
Not exactly. SAF emissions benefits depend on lifecycle factors. Feedstock, production method, and supply chain all matter.
But SAF is widely treated as one of aviation’s main decarbonization paths. The International Air Transport Association has cited SAF as contributing about 65% of the emissions reductions needed for net zero by 2050.
For travelers, the practical point is this: Singapore is building a predictable ramp. That makes it easier for airlines to plan schedules and costs through Changi.
5) Regional context: why Southeast Asia is becoming the next SAF supply story
Singapore’s levy would feel more “tax-like” if it were acting alone. The regional backdrop changes that. Southeast Asia is positioning itself as a serious SAF production base.
Big-picture projections are eye-catching:
- The region could supply 12% of global SAF demand by 2050
- Feedstocks could support 45.7 million tonnes of SAF annually by 2050
- ASEAN projects 8.5 million barrels per day of SAF production capacity by 2050
Those are long-range numbers, but they hint at what travelers care about: whether SAF costs can fall with scale.
Country signals that matter
- Thailand: launched a new SAF plant in Bangkok in 2025. That signals refinery build-out, not just test flights.
- Vietnam: delivered domestically made SAF mixes to local carriers, including VietJet Air, in 2025. That signals early supply chain formation.
- Malaysia: first deliveries to Malaysia Airlines and European customers occurred in 2025. That signals export potential and commercial buyers.
Singapore’s refinery advantage
Singapore is already home to what’s described as the world’s largest SAF refinery, operated by Neste, producing up to 1 million tonnes of SAF annually after a 2023 expansion.
That matters for two reasons:
- A nearby refinery can support steadier supply at Changi
- Over time, more supply can help keep levies from rising as fast
If regional supply grows the way policymakers hope, future levy reviews could become less painful. But in the near term, Singapore is prioritizing certainty. That’s why the rates are set to stay fixed through 2028.
How this “product” feels in real bookings: Singapore to Dubai as an example
If you’re flying Singapore–Dubai, you’ll likely be in a long-haul distance band. If you’re in premium cabins, you’ll be closer to the top end of the levy range.
This doesn’t change the onboard hard product. It changes your “true total price,” which matters when you comparison-shop.
Competitive context: how it affects routing choices
For Singapore-based travelers heading to the UAE, the main alternatives are:
- Fly nonstop to Dubai from Singapore
- Connect via another hub in the region, depending on fares and loyalty goals
The levy makes Singapore-origin tickets a bit more expensive than they were. But because connecting passengers are exempt, travelers who route through Singapore may see no change at all.
In other words: Singapore is protecting its hub connective role, while charging for true departures.
Frequent flyer angle: miles, elite status, and redemptions
A levy like this typically counts as a tax or government-imposed charge. On most programs, you won’t earn extra miles on it, because airlines award miles on base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, not government taxes.
What that means for you:
- If you chase elite status via spend-based metrics, the levy likely won’t help.
- If you redeem miles, you may see slightly higher out-of-pocket costs.
- If you buy cheap economy fares, the levy can be a bigger percentage of your total ticket.
One upside is predictability. Fixed levy rates through 2028 make it easier to estimate award ticket cash co-pays for Singapore departures.
💡 Pro Tip: If you’re booking award tickets out of Singapore for late 2026, check the taxes before and after April 1. The purchase date matters.
Seat, comfort, and onboard experience: what won’t change (but still matters)
The levy doesn’t change your seat. Your airline and aircraft choice still matter more than this fee.
For Singapore–Dubai, two common experiences travelers compare are:
- A full-service Asian carrier with strong service consistency
- A Middle East carrier with a big-hub network and heavy premium capacity
What I focus on for this route:
- Seat pitch and width in economy: On modern long-haul aircraft, economy commonly clusters around 31–32 inches of pitch and about 17–18 inches of width, depending on the exact aircraft and layout.
- Power: You want in-seat AC or USB power for a 7–8 hour sector. Not every aircraft has it at every seat.
- IFE: A seatback screen with responsive controls still beats streaming-only on long-haul.
- Cabin density: A tighter 3-4-3 layout on some widebodies can feel like a long day fast.
If you’re deciding between two similar fares, I would still pick based on:
- Seat comfort and layout first
- Schedule second
- Loyalty earning third
- Then fees like this levy
That order saves you more pain per dollar than almost any surcharge strategy.
Who should book this?
Book a Singapore departure in 2026 if:
- You value Changi’s schedules and connection options.
- You’re flying premium cabins where the levy is a smaller share of the total.
- You want cost certainty through 2028, even if fuel prices swing.
Try to avoid the levy (legally) if:
- Your plans are firm and you can buy before April 1, 2026.
- You can route as a true transit or transfer passenger, since those travelers are exempt.
If you’re price-sensitive for Singapore–Dubai trips, set a fare alert now and consider booking before April 1, 2026. That’s the cleanest way to keep this new charge off your receipt for departures after October 1, 2026.
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore Sets Sustainable Aviation Fuel Levy to Meet 1% SAF Target
Singapore is launching a mandatory sustainable aviation fuel levy for flights departing from April 1, 2026. The fee funds the Singapore Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company’s central procurement of green fuel. While originating passengers and cargo will pay between $1 and $41.60 based on distance and class, transit passengers remain exempt. This move positions Singapore as a regional leader in decarbonizing the aviation sector.
