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Delta Air Lines, in collaboration with Shell and Portland International Airport (PDX), has taken delivery of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) into the PDX fuel system, marking the first commercial-scale SAF uplift at PDX. This achievement not only expands Delta’s SAF footprint but positions PDX – owned and operated by the Port of Portland – to capitalize on the continued growth of SAF across the U.S. 

The batch of more than 400,000 gallons of blended SAF was made in the U.S. from waste-derived feedstock. Shell supplied the neat SAF shipment to Zenith Terminal in Portland where it was blended with traditional jet fuel to meet regulatory requirements, then delivered to PDX via barge, truck and pipeline. Earlier this month, the blended SAF entered the airport’s privately owned fuel supply system.  

“Every SAF delivery is a powerful example of how industry collaboration can unlock markets for sustainable aviation fuel,” said Charlotte Lollar, Delta’s SAF director. “By working with Shell and the Port of Portland to tap into existing infrastructure, we’re able to access SAF at more airports and continue to prove its viability and ultimately scale it in a way the industry needs.” 

“We're excited about this step toward bringing Sustainable Aviation Fuel to PDX. It’s a move that can help improve local air quality and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, which is great news for our communities,” said Port of Portland Chief Aviation Officer Dan Pippenger. “We're looking forward to working with our partners to make sure state and local policies support development of the infrastructure and market needed to bring SAF here on a larger scale – and unlock all of the health and environmental benefits it offers.” 

SAF is an alternative jet fuel made from renewable sources that can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by more than 80%, when compared to conventional jet fuel. Existing jet fuel infrastructure can be leveraged to deliver SAF to airports today, and it is safe to use in current aircraft engines. However, the technology to produce it remains nascent, so it is expensive and not widely available. In fact, there is not enough SAF in production today to fuel the world's airlines for a single week. This is why the work to scale SAF and bring it to new markets, like Portland, is so important. 

Locally, Delta is working with the Port of Portland and other key stakeholders to enable a sustained market and delivery structure for SAF at the Port of Portland. Delta is also working at the federal level and across key states to advocate for continued and new government incentives that will increase production, improve cost-competitiveness and make SAF more accessible at scale. In 2022, Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, then Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, championed enactment of the first federal SAF incentives, including the 40B SAF Blenders Tax Credit and creating the current fuel-neutral 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit. 40B and 45Z provided the initial policy frameworks for state level incentives emerging across the country and 45Z was extended by the U.S. Congress this year through 2029.  

This delivery represents the first commercial-scale SAF uplift at PDX, building on Delta’s broader SAF strategy, which includes previous deliveries to hubs like Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) and Detroit (DTW). This milestone also reflects the airline’s ongoing efforts to expand SAF availability and prove its repeatability and scalability across diverse airport systems. 

Delta maintains a strong and growing presence in Oregon, underscored by the airline’s strategic operations at Portland International Airport (PDX). From PDX, Delta offers Oregonians nonstop service to nearly all of Delta’s hub airports, providing customers with more than 300 one-stop destinations. With nearly 4,500 employees based in the Pacific Northwest, Delta is committed to making a difference in the communities where we live, work and serve through our partnerships with key local and national community engagement organizations. 

Learn more about Delta’s sustainability strategy here: Fueling a more sustainable future of travel: What we fly, how we fly, the fuel we use | Delta News Hub