Delta Air Lines and Shell Aviation have signed a five-year agreement to expand the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) — jet fuel made from renewable feedstocks rather than fossil crude — across multiple U.S. hubs and priority cities through 2030. Delta announced the collaboration on July 15.
The deal covers five airports: Los Angeles (LAX), Portland (PDX), New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK), Boston's Logan (BOS), and Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP). It builds on decades of collaboration between the two companies on conventional jet fuel, along with their existing SAF initiatives.
Delta framed the agreement as an effort to build lasting supply, not hit a one-off milestone.
"With Shell, we're proving that scaling SAF isn't theoretical, it's achievable. This is about activating real supply chains at scale and creating a model that others can build on."
The collaboration goes beyond fuel purchasing to focus on how the fuel actually reaches aircraft. Shell will support both blended and neat (unblended) SAF deliveries at select hubs, helping establish the logistics, blending, and distribution capabilities needed for reliable supply across Delta's network.
"By supplying conventional jet, SAF and longer-term innovation, the deal will help strengthen energy security and contribute to the transformation of aviation."
The two companies also plan to evaluate next-generation SAF technologies together, including alcohol-to-jet and power-to-liquid production pathways aimed at expanding supply and further cutting lifecycle emissions.
The agreement extends Delta's existing SAF push. The airline is an anchor partner of the Minnesota SAF Hub, and in 2024 two shipments of more than 7,000 gallons each arrived at MSP and Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW).
Delta says roughly 90% of its carbon emissions come from jet fuel, and the airline has set a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
