How is Cathay Pacific's Corporate Program Boosting Sustainable Fuel Use?

Cathay Pacific is seeing a major rise in its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) usage. This growth is largely due to its successful corporate SAF program. These voluntary SAF initiatives are critical to the airline. They account for most of Cathay Pacific's overall SAF consumption. The program's success helps the airline secure more fuel supply. It also moves the industry closer to global aviation sustainability goals.

Record Growth in Corporate Commitments

The airline's corporate program saw record growth in 2025. Commitments more than doubled compared to 2024. Seventeen global partners pledged to use SAF. Their combined commitment was about 17,400 tonnes of SAF. This represents a nearly 180% increase year-on-year. This increasing SAF usage is a significant milestone for the carrier.

Key Industry Partners

Major companies joined the program in 2025. Microsoft became a new Diamond partner. This is the program's highest commitment tier. Partners like Kuehne + Nagel and EQT also remained key contributors. These partnerships help address corporate travel emissions and air cargo shipments. The collective action provides long-term demand assurance for SAF producers. This is vital for scaling up production globally.

Driving Aviation Decarbonization

The 17,400 tonnes of committed SAF will reduce emissions. This volume is equivalent to a reduction of 54,600 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This is measured on a lifecycle basis. SAF is a key component of aviation decarbonization efforts. It can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80%.

Cathay Pacific aims for 10% SAF use by 2030. This is part of their broader corporate climate goals. However, the industry faces significant challenges. Global SAF production remains low. The fuel accounted for only 0.6% of total jet fuel in 2025. SAF prices are also much higher than fossil jet fuel. Voluntary programs like Cathay Pacific's are crucial. They help bridge the gap between supply and demand. They also provide necessary investment signals to the market.

Industry bodies support these initiatives. IATA launched a SAF Registry in 2025. This system tracks transactions transparently. It helps companies claim environmental benefits for their purchases. This transparency is important for meeting both compliance and voluntary SAF initiatives.

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