Emirates Makes History: Operates First A380 Demo Flight

• First time drop-in SAF is used on an A380 with full compatibility across the aircraft’s existing system
• Cross industry collaboration brings in expertise from Airbus, Engine Alliance, Pratt & Whitney, ENOC, Neste and Virent
• Landmark flight was powered by 100% SAF in one of four engines to test performance

Emirates has made aviation history by conducting the world’s first A380 demonstration flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The flight, led by Captain Khalid Binsultan and Captain Philippe Lombet, took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB), with one engine powered entirely by SAF, showcasing its potential as a seamless replacement for traditional jet fuel, meeting the same technical and chemical standards while being more environmentally sustainable. SAF has the potential to cut carbon emissions by up to 85% compared to conventional jet fuel over its life cycle.

Such demonstration flights, like today’s, lay the groundwork for future standardization, qualification, and widespread adoption of 100% SAF in aviation. This aligns with government strategies aiming to support the production and scaling up of SAF. The successful A380 demonstration flight reinforces SAF’s performance and compatibility, affirming it as a dependable and safe fuel source. It adds to the growing body of industry research evaluating the positive impacts of 100% SAF on aircraft performance. Currently, SAF is limited to a 50% blend in commercial flight engines.

Emirates’ A380 demonstration flight coincides with the Third International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) in Dubai, where aviation industry experts, regulatory bodies, and policymakers converge. Collaborating entities such as Airbus, Engine Alliance, Pratt & Whitney, Neste, Virent, and ENOC have been instrumental in conducting the testing, technical assessments, and data analysis for this groundbreaking flight.

The 100% drop-in SAF used in today’s flight incorporates renewable aromatics and closely mirrors conventional jet fuel’s characteristics. This marked the first time drop-in SAF was utilized on an A380 aircraft, expecting full compatibility with the aircraft’s existing systems. The flight carried four tonnes of SAF, a blend of HEFA-SPK from Neste (hydro processed esters and fatty acids synthetic paraffinic kerosene) and HDO-SAK from Virent (hydro deoxygenated synthetic aromatic kerosene). ENOC facilitated the neat SAF comprised of HEFA-SPK and blended it with Sustainable Aviation Kerosene (SAK) at its Dubai International Airport facility before the flight and provided into-plane services.

The 100% SAF powered one Engine Alliance GP7200 engine, while the other three engines used conventional jet fuel. Additionally, the PW980 auxiliary power unit (APU) from Pratt & Whitney Canada also ran on 100% SAF.

Emirates had previously conducted robust engine testing on one A380 Engine Alliance GP7200 engine using 100% SAF, aiming to confirm the engine’s capability to function on the specially blended 100% drop-in SAF without performance impact or requiring modifications. Ground engine testing occurred at the Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates Airline Chief Operating Officer, expressed pride in being the first passenger airline to operate an A380 with 100% drop-in SAF powering one of its engines. This milestone reflects Emirates’ commitment to researching and trialing higher SAF concentrations, leading to industry-wide adoption of 100% SAF flying. Al Redha emphasized the global demand for lower-emission jet fuel alternatives and highlighted the need for producers and suppliers to commercialize SAF, supporting Emirates and the industry in reducing carbon emissions.

Julie Kitcher, Airbus Executive Vice President Communications and Corporate Affairs, highlighted the significance of witnessing an A380, the world’s largest airliner, powered by an engine using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuels. She underlined the essential role SAF plays in achieving the aviation sector’s net-zero emissions target by 2050, requiring support from the entire industry.

Amy Johnston, President of Engine Alliance, praised the strong relationship between Engine Alliance and Emirates, dating back to the A380’s service entry 15 years ago. This partnership underscores a joint commitment to sustainable aviation.

Aziz Koleilat, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing for the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Turkey at GE Aerospace, emphasized GE Aerospace’s role in powering industry efforts toward a more sustainable future through its engines’ capability to operate on approved SAF blends.

Graham Webb, Pratt & Whitney Chief Sustainability Officer, emphasized Pratt & Whitney’s dedication to ensuring their engines and APUs remain compatible with current and future SAF specifications up to 100%. He highlighted the significance of Emirates’ demonstration flight in establishing future standards for 100% SAF.

Jonathan Wood, Vice President Commercial Management and Business Development from the Renewable Aviation business at Neste, commended Emirates for its efforts in advancing the use of SAF and emphasized Neste’s commitment to accelerating SAF availability and usage.

Dave Kettner, Virent President and General Counsel, praised the successful demonstration flight using Virent’s cleaner-burning BioForm® SAK, showcasing 100% renewable fuel’s seamless integration into today’s commercial airline engines.

His Excellency Saif Humaid al Falasi, Group CEO of ENOC, highlighted the collaborative efforts to fuel Emirates’ first 100% sustainable aviation fuel demonstration flight on an Airbus A380. This represents progress toward decarbonizing the UAE’s aviation sector and positioning it as a regional hub for low carbon aviation fuels.

Emirates previously achieved a milestone by successfully completing the first 100% SAF-powered demonstration flight in the region on a GE90-powered Boeing 777-300ER. Furthermore, the airline recently initiated flights using SAF supplied by Shell Aviation at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

Expanding partnerships, Emirates collaborated with Neste to supply over 3 million gallons of blended SAF in 2024 and 2025 for flights departing from Amsterdam Schiphol and Singapore Changi airports.

Emirates continues to uplift SAF in Norway and France, seeking opportunities to utilize SAF at various airports as its supply grows. The airline actively participates in industry and UAE government working groups, engaging stakeholders to scale up SAF production and supply. Emirates contributed to the development of the UAE’s power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels roadmap and the UAE’s National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap, aligning with the country’s sustainability initiatives in the aviation sector.