United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 (Foto: United Airlines)
A first in the National Football League (NFL): United Airlines and the San Francisco 49ers have taken an important step together to solve the emissions problem.
The American football team has purchased enough Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to cover the game-related flights with United Airlines for the match between San Francisco and Los Angeles last Sunday. Instead of petroleum, SAF is made from renewable materials and allows greenhouse gas emissions – from production to final use – to be reduced by up to 85 percent. It is two to four times more expensive than conventional aircraft fuel, but represents a significantly more sustainable alternative.
It is the first time that an NFL team has invested in the purchase of SAF. The San Francisco 49ers team has also joined United’s Eco-Skies AllianceSM, a program in which companies pool higher costs for environmentally friendly fuels. The Eco-Skies Alliance, which now includes numerous well-known companies such as Microsoft, Nike and Visa, was launched in April 2021 and has facilitated the purchase of around 55 million liters of SAF to date.
The San Francisco 49ers and United have thus further deepened their joint commitment to protecting and preserving the environment. The airline is a founding member of the Faithful to the Planet project initiated by the 49ers. This supports initiatives that reduce pollution in the oceans and protect and plant new trees.
United itself was the first airline to commit to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050, without any offset programs. In the United States, United is also a leader in the purchase of SAF: in 2023, the airline purchased more SAF than any other U.S. airline, which is blended at five airports in the U.S. and Europe, including San Francisco.
United Airlines
