Neste and United Airlines have extended their agreement to supply sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blended with conventional jet fuel for flights departing Chicago O’Hare International Airport in the US and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands.
The extended arrangement continues a long-term collaboration between the renewable fuels producer and airline, with SAF deliveries to United taking place at both airports during 2026 and, in Chicago, continuing through June 2027.
Under the agreement, Neste will supply its Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel blended with conventional jet fuel.
SAF deliveries continue at two major United hubs
Deliveries under the extended agreement began at Amsterdam Schiphol in June 2026 and continued through August.
At Chicago O’Hare, deliveries started in July 2026 and are scheduled to continue until June 2027.
O’Hare is United’s largest hub by daily departures and is an important international gateway for the airline. United began purchasing and using blended SAF at the airport in August 2024, becoming the first airline to do so at O’Hare, according to the companies.
United has also used Neste SAF at Amsterdam Schiphol since 2022.
The continued supply arrangement gives United access to blended SAF at two major airports serving its international network.
United expands SAF use across its network
United used more than 83,000 metric tonnes of SAF in 2025, equivalent to approximately 27.7 million gallons, according to the company.
That represented a 104% increase from the previous year. United also expanded SAF use to three additional hub airports — Newark, Washington, D.C. and Houston — bringing the number of its seven domestic hubs using SAF to six.
United Chief Sustainability Officer Lauren Riley said the airline had demonstrated the use of blended SAF in regular operations and described the extended collaboration with Neste across two continents as part of its approach to scaling the fuel.
United was the first airline globally to use blended SAF in regular operations, according to the company.
Neste expands SAF production capacity
Neste’s SAF is produced from renewable raw materials including used cooking oil and animal fat waste.
The fuel is certified for commercial aviation use when blended with up to 50% conventional jet fuel and is designed to work with existing aircraft engines and fuelling infrastructure, according to Neste.
The company currently has global SAF production capability of 1.5 million metric tonnes per year, equivalent to approximately 515 million gallons.
Neste expects that capacity to rise to 2.2 million metric tonnes, or about 750 million gallons, in 2027 following completion of the expansion of its Rotterdam refinery.
The additional production capacity is expected to support the company’s ability to supply SAF as airlines expand their use of lower-carbon aviation fuels.
Two-airport agreement extends long-term partnership
Neste and United have been working together on SAF deployment for several years, with the Amsterdam supply relationship dating back to 2022.
Neste Senior Vice President, Commercial, Renewable Products, Carl Nyberg said the extended agreement covering two international airports demonstrates the companies’ continued focus on making SAF available at major aviation hubs.
United has set a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and identifies SAF alongside other measures as part of its strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The latest agreement extends SAF availability at Chicago and Amsterdam while maintaining the companies’ existing collaboration around renewable aviation fuel.
Bioenergy Business Analysis
The Neste-United agreement illustrates how SAF deployment is increasingly being integrated into routine airline operations at major hubs rather than treated solely as a demonstration activity. Supplying blended SAF at both Chicago O’Hare and Amsterdam Schiphol gives United access to the fuel across two important international markets.
The scale of United’s reported 2025 SAF use also highlights the growing importance of contracted supply for airlines seeking to increase renewable fuel consumption. At the same time, the expansion of Neste’s production capability will be an important factor in determining how much SAF can be supplied as demand develops.
For the wider SAF market, the arrangement demonstrates the interaction between airline demand, renewable fuel production capacity and airport-level fuel availability. Continued expansion will depend not only on additional production but also on sustained airline procurement and the availability of suitable renewable feedstocks.
The extended contract therefore adds another multi-year supply arrangement to the developing SAF market, with Chicago deliveries currently scheduled through June 2027.
Read also: FedEx expands sustainable aviation fuel agreements across U.S. Air Network
