Google and American Airlines have announced the largest publicly disclosed SAF certificate deal between a single airline and corporate customer, marking a significant shift in how business demand is shaping low-carbon aviation fuel markets through long-term off-take agreements and policy incentives.
Google and American Airlines have struck what both companies describe as the largest publicly announced sustainable aviation fuel certificate deal between an airline and a single corporate customer, in a move that highlights how business demand is beginning to shape the market for lower-carbon aviation fuel.
The three-year agreement will unlock 35 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel, with the companies saying that could avoid nearly 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. Rather than changing how aircraft are flown or how airports operate, the arrangement uses the book-and-claim model, allowing Google to claim the environmental benefit while American Airlines takes delivery of the physical fuel.
According to American Airlines, the SAF will be supplied through existing infrastructure at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and will be produced from waste-based feedstocks such as used cooking oil. The airline said the scale and duration of the contract helped it secure a separate long-term offtake agreement with Valero Marketing and Supply Company, underlining the importance of firm demand signals in a sector where production remains constrained and costs are still well above those of conventional jet fuel.
The deal also points to the growing role of corporate travel in climate strategies. For large companies with substantial Scope 3 emissions, air travel is increasingly a visible target for decarbonisation, and SAF certificates have emerged as one of the few near-term tools available to address emissions from flights without requiring new aircraft or airport systems.
Google said the agreement fits into its broader effort to support the expansion of SAF production and adoption. For American, the partnership strengthens a longstanding push to position SAF as a practical pathway for aviation decarbonisation, even as the sector continues to rely on policy support, tax incentives and blending mandates to expand supply.
Illinois policy was also central to the transaction. American said the agreement was made possible by a state SAF tax credit enacted by Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly, which helped make the economics of bringing larger volumes of SAF to O’Hare more workable.
For industrial decarbonisation specialists, the significance of the deal lies less in the headline volume than in its structure. Long-term corporate offtake, backed by certificates and policy support, is increasingly seen as one of the clearest mechanisms for scaling low-carbon fuels in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation.
- https://mexicobusiness.news/sustainability/news/google-american-airlines-sign-landmark-saf-agreement – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2026/American-Airlines-and-Google-sign-record-breaking-sustainable-aviation-fuel-agreement-OPS-OTH-06/default.aspx – American Airlines and Google have announced a record-breaking agreement for sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc), representing the largest publicly announced SAFc agreement between an airline and a single corporate customer to date. The new agreement will unlock 35 million gallons (132 million litres) of SAF over three years, resulting in nearly 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions reductions. Under the agreement, American will purchase and take delivery of physical fuel for Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) through existing infrastructure, the SAF portion of which will be produced from waste feedstocks like used cooking oil. Google will receive the environmental benefits to help address its emissions from employee business travel via the SAFc Registry, which enables transparent and traceable book-and-claim SAFc. The long-term nature of this agreement enabled American to secure a new long-term SAF offtake with Valero Marketing and Supply Company and reinforces American’s longstanding commitment to SAF. This agreement was made possible by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly enacting a SAF tax credit. Thanks to collaboration between industry and lawmakers, American will be able to bring significant volumes of SAF to ORD.
- https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/061026-google-american-airlines-sign-saf-agreement-for-35-million-gallons – American Airlines and Google have signed a sustainable aviation fuel certificate agreement covering 35 million gallons over three years and targeting nearly 300,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions reductions. Under the agreement, American will purchase and take physical delivery of SAF at Chicago O’Hare International Airport through existing infrastructure, with the fuel produced from waste feedstocks, including used cooking oil. Google will receive the associated environmental benefits through the SAFc Registry to offset emissions from employee business travel, using a book-and-claim mechanism that separates physical fuel delivery from carbon accounting.
- https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/google-signs-record-sustainable-aviation-fuel-deal-with-american-airlines/ – Google has signed an agreement with American Airlines to support the airline provider in securing up to 35 million gallons (132 million litres) of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for use in its operations. According to Google, the multi-year partnership helped American Airlines secure a long-term SAF supply deal with Valero, a San Antonio-based SAF and biofuels company. The deal will see Valero supply the SAF over a three-year period, which the companies claim will facilitate the reduction of up to 300,000 tons of CO2. Under the terms of the agreement, American Airlines will purchase and take delivery of physical fuel for Chicago O’Hare International Airport through existing infrastructure. The SAF will be produced via waste feedstocks such as used cooking oil. Google will subsequently acquire the environmental credits tied to the SAF via a book-and-claim model.
- https://www.northamericaoutlookmag.com/sustainability/american-airlines-and-google-announce-sustainable-aviation-fuel-agreement – In a record-breaking agreement, industry titans American Airlines and Google have announced the largest publicly stated sustainable aviation fuel certificates agreement between a single corporate customer and airline to date. The new agreement will unlock 35 million gallons (132 million litres) of SAF over three years, resulting in nearly 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions reductions. Under the agreement, American will purchase and take delivery of physical fuel for Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) through existing infrastructure, the SAF portion of which will be produced from waste feedstocks like used cooking oil. Google will receive the environmental benefits to help address its emissions from employee business travel via the SAFc Registry, which enables transparent and traceable book-and-claim SAFc. The long-term nature of this agreement enabled American to secure a new long-term SAF offtake with Valero Marketing and Supply Company and reinforces American’s longstanding commitment to SAF. This agreement was made possible by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly enacting a SAF tax credit. Thanks to collaboration between industry and lawmakers, American will be able to bring significant volumes of SAF to ORD.
- https://www.breitflyte.com/post/american-airlines-and-google-sign-record-saf-agreement – American Airlines has today announced the signing of a record-breaking sustainable aviation fuel certificate (SAFc) agreement with Google. This is the largest publicly announced SAFc agreement of its type between an airline and a single corporate client ever. The new agreement will unlock 35 million gallons (132 million litres) of SAF over three years, resulting in a reduction of nearly 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions.
- https://cndenglish.com/airlines/american-airlines-finalizes-historic-sustainable-fuel-deal-google – A major environmental milestone has been achieved in the aviation sector as American Airlines and technology giant Google finalized the largest publicly disclosed corporate sustainable aviation fuel certificate agreement to date. The sweeping three-year commitment is designed to foster a meaningful reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions within commercial aviation corridors. The landmark partnership supports the purchase and allocation of 35 million gallons of advanced sustainable aviation fuel over the course of the next three-year cycle. Environmental compliance models indicate that the multi-year fuel injection will deliver nearly 300,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emission reductions across corporate transit channels. Under the structured commercial agreement, the Texas-based airline will take physical delivery of the alternative fuel infrastructure directly at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article reports on a recent agreement between Google and American Airlines, announced on June 9, 2026. This is the earliest known publication date for this specific deal, indicating high freshness. No evidence of recycled or republished content was found.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from American Airlines’ Chief Sustainability Officer Jill Blickstein and Google’s Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt. These quotes are consistent with those found in other reputable sources, such as S&P Global ([spglobal.com](https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/061026-google-american-airlines-sign-saf-agreement-for-35-million-gallons?utm_source=openai)) and Runway Girl Network ([runwaygirlnetwork.com](https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/06/american-airlines-google-sustainable-aviation-fuel-agreement/?utm_source=openai)). However, the exact earliest usage of these quotes cannot be determined, so some uncertainty remains.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The article originates from Mexico Business News, a niche publication. While it provides detailed information, its limited reach and potential biases due to its niche focus may affect the reliability of the information presented.
Plausibility check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims made in the article align with information from other reputable sources, such as S&P Global ([spglobal.com](https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/agriculture/061026-google-american-airlines-sign-saf-agreement-for-35-million-gallons?utm_source=openai)) and Runway Girl Network ([runwaygirlnetwork.com](https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2026/06/american-airlines-google-sustainable-aviation-fuel-agreement/?utm_source=openai)). The details about the agreement’s scale, duration, and environmental impact are consistent across multiple reports, suggesting high plausibility. However, the reliance on a single source for some details introduces a slight uncertainty.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article provides a timely and plausible account of the agreement between Google and American Airlines. While the information aligns with other reputable sources, the reliance on a single source for some details and the niche nature of the publication introduce moderate uncertainties. Further verification from additional independent sources is recommended to increase confidence in the accuracy of the information presented.
