On August 25, 2025, Air France received its 46th Airbus A220-300 in Paris. The aircraft was delivered from Airbus’ Mirabel site in Canada and arrived on a ferry flight that used a fuel blend containing 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), certified by Airbus. This marks the first time an Air France aircraft has been delivered with such a high proportion of SAF, reflecting the group’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions in air transport.
According to Air France-KLM, SAF can reduce CO₂ emissions by at least 65% over its full life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel. The airline group is one of the top three users of SAF globally and follows strict sourcing policies. Only fuels that do not compete with human food supply, do not contribute to deforestation, and are not produced from palm oil are selected.
Air France-KLM and Airbus have also entered into an agreement allowing Airbus employees to help lower the carbon footprint of their business travel by supporting SAF production. “This voluntary commitment is part of Air France-KLM’s ‘SAF Corporate’ program, which facilitates the financing and purchase of SAF. Since joining the program in November 2023, Airbus has cut its emissions by more than 2,000 tons of CO₂ through the purchase of over 670 tons of SAF,” according to the company.
Fleet renewal remains central to Air France-KLM’s strategy for transformation. The new Airbus A220 model uses about 20% less fuel and emits 20% less CO₂ per seat-kilometer than previous-generation aircraft. In total, Air France-KLM has nearly 200 new-generation aircraft—including A220s, A320neos, A321neos, A350s, and Boeing 787s—on firm order. In 2024 alone, it took delivery of 41 new-generation planes across all its airlines.
The company invests more than €2 billion annually in these upgrades as it aims for up to 80% of its fleet to be made up of new-generation aircraft by 2030.
For additional details on this delivery flight with Airbus: https://www.airfranceklm.com/en/newsroom/air-france-klm-takes-delivery-46th-a220-landmark-ferry-flight-airbus-using-50-sustainable
