Air France-KLM takes delivery of 46th A220 on a landmark ferry flight with Airbus using 50% sustainable aviation fuel

On 25 August 2025, Air France received its 46th Airbus A220-300 in Paris, delivered from Airbus' Mirabel site in Canada. This ferry flight marked a first: the aircraft was delivered with a blend containing 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), certified directly by Airbus. This milestone reflects the Air France-KLM Group's commitment to accelerate the decarbonization of air transport.

The key role of sustainable aviation fuel

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plays a central role in reducing the carbon footprint of air transport, allowing at least a 65% reduction in CO₂ emissions over the full life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel.

Air France-KLM is among the world's top three SAF users and applies a strict sourcing policy: only fuel that does not compete with human food supply, does not contribute to deforestation, and is not produced from palm oil is selected.

Another joint initiative between the Group and the manufacturer: Air France-KLM and Airbus have signed an agreement enabling Airbus employees to reduce the carbon footprint of their business travel by supporting the production of sustainable aviation fuel. 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.

An increasingly modern and efficient fleet

Fleet renewal is a cornerstone of the Group's transformation strategy. With fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions reduced by 20% per seat-kilometer compared with previous-generation aircraft, the Airbus A220 embodies this ambition.

Air France-KLM has nearly 200 new-generation aircraft (A220, A320neo, A321neo, A350, and Boeing 787) on firm order, and in 2024 alone the Group took delivery of 41 new-generation aircraft across all its airlines.

These major investments - totaling more than €2 billion per year - are contributing to a fleet that, by 2030, could be composed of up to 80% new-generation aircraft.

To learn more about this landmark ferry flight with Airbus, click here.