American Airlines
Latest Sustainability Reporting
(July 2026)
Highlights
- Improved mainline fuel efficiency 6.7% since 2019 through a combination of fleet renewal, operational initiatives and cabin reconfigurations.
- Increased SAF use nearly fivefold from 2.9 million gallons in 2024 to 14.1 million gallons in 2025.
- In 2025, co-launched a $150 million investment fund to advance and commercialize developing SAF technologies.
- Increased renewable electricity as share of total electricity from 28.4% in 2024 to 29.2% in 2025.
- Continued transition to electrified ground support equipment, with 24% of belt loaders, bag tractors and pushouts now electrified.
- Over 44,000 frontline team members have been trained to identify human trafficking and respond appropriately.
- Increased global giving to $38.5 million, up from $29.8 million in 2024.
Recent News
2026
GOOGLE / AMERICAN AIRLINES — Announced the largest publicly disclosed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) agreement to date, according to the companies. Over three years, American Airlines will purchase and take delivery of 35 million gallons (132 million liters) of SAF (produced from waste feedstocks) at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, while Google will purchase the SAF certificates for the fuel, using them to offset business travel. (June 2026)
2025
ONEWORLD ALLIANCE / BREAKTHROUGH ENERGY VENTURES — oneworld alliance and six airlines, including CEF member American Airlines, in partnership with Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), launched a new investment fund to address the limited availability and high cost of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). This oneworld BEV Fund, with an initial $150 million in commitments, aims to invest in next-generation SAF technologies; support the growth of alternative fuel markets, and develop a diverse and resilient SAF supply chain to meet future demand. (Sept 2025)
2024
Joined the CEF member network in December 2024!
2023
Contrail Avoidance Study (Google Research, American Airlines, and Breakthrough Energy) — This research effort brought together satellite imagery, weather, and flight path data and used AI to develop contrail forecast maps to test whether pilots can choose routes that avoid creating contrails. Over six months, pilots flew 70 test flights using AI-based predictions and contrail models to avoid altitudes likely to create contrails. Analysis found pilots were able to reduce contrails by 54%, providing “the first proof point that commercial flights can verifiably avoid contrails and thereby reduce their climate impact.” This came at the cost of a 2% increase in fuel usage, however, as a small percentage of flights need to be adjusted to avoid the majority of contrail warming, this could be brought down to as low as 0.3% across an airline’s flights (costing about $5-25/ton of CO2 equivalent). (Aug 2023)
2022
AMERICAN AIRLINES — Announced its strategic equity investment in Universal Hydrogen, a company building a green hydrogen distribution and logistics network for aviation. This network uses “modular hydrogen capsules” that are handled like cargo, eliminating the need for airports to invest in new fueling infrastructure and speeding up the fueling process. Universal aims to start hydrogen deliveries for regional aircraft by 2025. (Oct 2022)
AMERICAN AIRLINES — Announced an investment in ZeroAvia, a company developing zero-emission hydrogen-electric jet powertrains. The companies also signed an MOU granting American the opportunity to purchase up to 100 powertrains to power its regional jet operations. (Aug 2022)
AMERICAN AIRLINES — Announced it has made an investment (amount not made public) in ZeroAvia, a company specializing in the development zero-emission aircraft powertrains. American and ZeroAvia have also signed a memorandum of understanding giving American the option to buy up to 100 of ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engines, the first of which are planned to enter service in regional flights “as early as the late 2020s.” (Aug 2022)
AMERICAN AIRLINES / GEVO — Announced an agreement in which the airline will purchase 500 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biofuel company Gevo over five years. The agreement is American Airlines’ largest yet, bringing its total low-carbon fuel commitments to more than 620 million gallons—about 20% of the company’s goal of 10% SAF usage by 2030. Delivery of the fuel is expected to begin in 2026. (Aug 2021)
AMERICAN AIRLINES / NESTE — Completed the first commercial delivery of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) certified to meet the Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) standards. American Airlines took possession of the fuel, produced by Neste, as part of a pilot project establish the certification process for production and delivery of SAF under CORSIA. Neste-produced SAF is made from sustainably sourced, 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials. It can be used as a drop-in replacement for traditional jet fuel, but emitting up to 80% less greenhouse gas over its life cycle. (July 2022)
2020
Mastercard launched the Priceless Planet Coalition, a platform to “unite corporate sustainability efforts and make meaningful investments to preserve the environment.” As part of the platform, the company and its nine partner organizations — including Citibank, L.L. Bean, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and American Airlines — have pledged to plant 100 million trees in 5 years. (Jan 2020)