Southwest Airlines Community

In 2023, Southwest Airlines announced our Nonstop to Net Zero plan, which outlines our approach toward sustainability through the strategic pillars of carbon, circularity*, and collaboration to achieve our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Part of our strategic plan to achieve that goal includes Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) —specifically securing SAF to reach our goal of replacing 10% of total jet fuel consumption with SAF by 2030. SAF is fuel produced from non-fossil fuel sources that can result in lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional jet fuel on a lifecycle basis. As a fully certified drop-in fuel when blended with conventional jet fuel in accordance with industry standards, SAF is compatible with existing infrastructure.      We’re taking action towards that goal, and today I’m excited to share another step in our journey with our $30 million investment in LanzaJet, Inc., a SAF technology provider and producer with a patented ethanol-to-SAF technology and the world’s first ethanol-to-SAF commercial plant.   “Our launch of SARV and our investment in LanzaJet demonstrate that we are not sitting on the sidelines. Rather, we’re in the game by taking proactive, disciplined steps toward securing affordable SAF for Southwest, as we continue to march toward our goal of net zero by 2050,” said Bob Jordan, President & CEO of Southwest Airlines. “We look forward to working with companies and organizations developing important technology, like LanzaJet, which could help us meet our SAF goals.”   As part of its agreement with Southwest, LanzaJet intends to build an ethanol-to-SAF facility to produce SAF primarily for Southwest. The planned facility includes capabilities to convert SAFFiRE’s cellulosic ethanol into SAF. As we’ve previously shared, SAFFiRE is a company in which Southwest invested that is developing technology that uses corn stover, a widely available agricultural residue in the U.S., to produce cellulosic ethanol that can then be converted to SAF through the ethanol-to-SAF process. The planned LanzaJet facility will be designed to produce greater quantities of SAF from SAFFiRE ethanol over time.    “LanzaJet’s ethanol-to-SAF technology represents the next generation of sustainable aviation fuel and will transform global aviation’s ability to meet its 2050 net zero targets. We’re proud to be working with Southwest Airlines to build out this industry as well as working with SAFFiRE Renewables to use ethanol made right here in the U.S.,” said Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet. “Southwest’s equity investment in LanzaJet will help us continue to grow and scale to meet the demands of the aviation industry, while unlocking the significant potential of the U.S. biofuels industry to benefit local communities and support the agriculture industry.”   This investment in LanzaJet is made through Southwest Airlines Renewable Ventures (SARV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwest dedicated to creating more opportunities for Southwest to obtain scalable SAF. For more on our environmental sustainability plan, visit southwest.com/planet.   *Circularity at Southwest means working toward reducing waste through maximizing the value of resources by keeping products and materials in circulation as long as possible. This can be through reusing, recycling, and considering what happens to a product at the end of its lifecycle from the time that sourcing begins.        ... View more

This week marks an exciting moment in our environmental sustainability journey – the first time sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is being used in our operations at Oakland International Airport (OAK). Even more exciting? Southwest is the first carrier to bring SAF to OAK!   SAF is a drop-in fuel produced from non-fossil fuel sources that can result in a lower carbon intensity than conventional jet fuel on a lifecycle basis. SAF is crucial to decarbonizing aviation and to meeting our environmental sustainability goals.   The SAF we use in OAK comes from our partner Neste, a leading producer of renewable fuels, and is made from renewable and sustainably sourced raw materials, including used cooking oil and animal waste fat. Adding Neste’s SAF to our operation is a seamless process, because after blending with conventional jet fuel in accordance with applicable industry standards, it is compatible with both our existing aircraft as well as OAK’s current airport infrastructure. OAK is the third commercial airport in the United States to have SAF incorporated into the daily operations of a major U.S. airline, and we are excited that Southwest is a part of that milestone!       We are also engaging with corporate Customers on SAF “beta” partnership agreements supporting Southwest’s utilization of qualifying SAF in its operation. These important partners purchase certain Scope 3 emissions reduction rights resulting from Southwest’s use of SAF, contributing towards the cost premium of SAF over conventional jet fuel.   As previously shared in our 10-year Environmental Sustainability plan, Southwest has set a goal to replace 10% of our total jet fuel consumption with SAF by 2030, which is an important step towards our long-term goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Over the past 12 months, Southwest has been working with a number of partners and organizations to work towards our SAF goal and advance the development of commercially viable and scalable SAF.   We’re thrilled to be using SAF in our operations and to be the first carrier to bring SAF to OAK! Interested in learning more about our SAF efforts? Check out southwest.com/Planet. ... View more