Delta Air Lines quietly scrubbed a pair of key environmental targets from its sustainability web page late last week.
The Atlanta-based carrier deleted its pledge to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for 10 percent of its jet fuel by 2030. It also rephrased its quest to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 as an “aspiration,” rather than a “goal.”
A Delta spokesperson said the carrier still sees SAF as one of the most important ways to decarbonize flight, but its slow development threatens the industry’s climate ambitions. “While we have successfully increased use of SAF every year, we recognize that the technology has not advanced as rapidly as the industry requires,” said the spokesperson.
Delta generated about 60 million tons of heat-trapping emissions in 2024. That’s equivalent to the entire climate footprint of Ireland or Hungary. Like most airlines, it has long touted sustainable jet fuel — made from feedstocks like animal fat or used cooking oil — as a critical lever to cut its emissions.
