United Airlines and Neste have extended their agreement to supply sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blended with conventional jet fuel for flights departing from Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

The extension underscores the strategic collaboration between the two entities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through scalable SAF deployment. Under the renewed terms, Neste will continue supplying Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™.

Supply Timeline And Locations

The contract specifies distinct delivery windows for each hub. Neste’s SAF deliveries to United at Amsterdam began in June 2026 and are scheduled to continue through August 2026. For Chicago O’Hare, deliveries started in July 2026 and are planned to run until June 2027.

Scaling SAF Usage

United reported using over 83,000 metric tons (roughly 27.7 million gallons) of SAF in 2025. This volume represents a 104% increase over the prior year, positioning United as the largest SAF user among major U.S. airlines based on publicly available reports.

The airline expanded SAF usage to three additional hub airports: Newark, Washington D.C., and Houston. This expansion brings SAF usage to six out of United’s seven domestic hubs. Chicago O’Hare remains a critical node for this strategy; it is United’s largest hub by daily departures and among its most important global gateways. United was the first airline to purchase and use blended SAF at O’Hare in August 2024.

In Amsterdam, United has utilized Neste MY SAF at Schiphol Airport since 2022. The carrier was the first airline globally to use SAF in ongoing operations.

What The Numbers Show

United’s SAF consumption more than doubled year-over-year in 2025, rising 104% to over 83,000 metric tons. This rapid volume expansion coincides with geographic scaling, as the airline extended SAF availability to three new domestic hubs, covering six of its seven total domestic locations. The data indicates that United is shifting from pilot-scale adoption at single hubs like Chicago O’Hare to broad-based operational integration across its network.

Lauren Riley, Chief Sustainability Officer at United Airlines, stated that continuing work with Neste across two continents reflects a shared conviction that SAF is available and capable of being scalable. United aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, leveraging SAF and other measures to reduce GHG emissions.

United Airlines announced its largest international network expansion in company history, adding 10 new cities and three new routes across Europe and Asia. The carrier also debuted the 'Born to Explore' A321XLR aircraft at Newark Liberty International Airport on Aug. 25, 2026.

The expansion builds on a decade of growth, with United adding 58 international destinations since 2017. As the world's largest airline, United now flies to more than 160 international destinations. The new services are scheduled to start as early as March 2027.

Route Expansion Details

United will introduce flights to 10 new international cities, eight of which are not served by any other U.S. airline. The new destinations include:

• Okinawa, Japan
• Toulouse, France
• Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
• Marseille, France
• Ibiza, Spain
• Valencia, Spain
• Terceira, Portugal
• Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Olbia (Sardinia), Italy
• Catania (Sicily), Italy

Additionally, United announced three new nonstop routes: Los Angeles to Osaka, Japan; Washington, D.C. to Milan, Italy; and Denver to Paris, France. The airline also plans to resume flights from San Francisco to Tel Aviv, Israel.

Fleet Update

The 'Born to Explore' A321XLR is the newest international aircraft in United's fleet. It will serve some of the newly announced cities. The aircraft features lie-flat seats in United Polaris and Economy Plus seats with extra elbow room across an open middle seat.