Virgin Atlantic successfully completed the world’s first commercial flight across the Atlantic Ocean using only sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in November 2023. The flight, a collaboration between Virgin Atlantic and several partners, required no modifications to the aircraft and achieved significant environmental benefits.

The flight from London to New York saved an impressive 95 tonnes of CO2, a 64% reduction compared to a standard flight. It also reduced non-CO2 emissions by 40% and even burned fuel slightly more efficiently than fossil fuel. Additional efforts to optimize the flight path saved another 4% of fuel.

This project demonstrates the potential of SAF as a viable solution for reducing the environmental impact of aviation. Virgin Atlantic sees this as a crucial step towards their goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and is urging for increased production of SAF to enable wider adoption.