American Airlines has completed a commercial passenger flight using electro sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) supplied directly to a commercial airport in the United States. The flight was operated using an Embraer E175 regional jet flying from Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP) to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). American Airlines and fuel developer Infinium stated that the operation marked the first time sustainable aviation fuel produced without biobased feedstocks was delivered to a US commercial airport.
The eSAF was produced by Infinium at its Pathfinder facility in Corpus Christi, Texas. Prior to being delivered into common fuel storage tanks at Corpus Christi International Airport , the synthetic fuel was blended with conventional petroleum jet fuel. The fuel was thoroughly tested to ensure it met ASTM specifications for Jet A, enabling it to be utilized in existing commercial aircraft engines and airport fueling systems without requiring specialized modifications.
Infinium manufactures the synthetic fuel utilizing captured waste carbon dioxide and renewable electricity rather than relying on biological feedstocks such as waste cooking oil or agricultural plant material. According to Infinium, its eSAF process can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90% compared to conventional petroleum-based jet fuel during regular airline operations.
In addition to the initial passenger flight, American Airlines has signed an agreement to purchase commercial volumes of eSAF from Infinium's Project Roadrunner plant, which is currently under construction. The manufacturing facility is expected to begin production and deliveries in 2027, with plans to eventually produce more than 5 million gallons of synthetic fuel annually for commercial aviation use.
