Hawaiian Airlines has begun its first Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) flights. The airline has introduced SAF-powered flights on its Osaka-Honolulu Route, in partnership with Alaska Air Group and Cosmo Oil Marketing. The move aims to cut the airline’s carbon footprint by achieving net-zero carbon emissions goals, but also marks Japan’s entry into large-scale SAF production.
Hawaiian Airlines’ First SAF-Powered Flights Across the Pacific
Hawaiian Airlines’ launch of its first sustainable aviation flights, announced on August 29, on the busy Osaka to Honolulu route, highlights the airline’s clear steps towards a long-term decarbonisation strategy to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The carrier said blending SAF, supplied by Cosmo Oil Marketing, with conventional jet fuel could reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by 80%.
“SAF is one of our key decarbonisation products and plays an essential role in the decarbonisation of the aviation industry.” said Naoki Takayama Cosmo Oil Marketing’s president and representative director.
SAF is projected to deliver the largest share of emission reductions according to Hawaiian’s 2023 net-zero roadmap, accounting for about 64% of progress by 2050. The airline has also set milestones to replace 10% of jet fuel with SAF by 2030 and cut emissions intensity by 45% from 2019 levels by 2035.
The initiative was arranged through Alaska Air Group, the parent company of both Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines. Together, the carriers aim to achieve their decarbonisation goal by increasingly investing in SAF-powered flights, alongside fleet renewal and improved operational efficiency. The move represents a milestone for the launch of sustainable aviation fuel in the Asia-Pacific, where sustainable fuel adoption has long lagged behind the U.S. and Europe.
A New Milestone: Japan Has Supplied Fuel to Airlines Since April
The fuel is supplied by Cosmo Oil Marketing Co., which produces SAF from used cooking oil. It represents Japan’s first domestically produced SAF on commercial flights and is supported by a government subsidy from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization.
“Japan is an important international market for Hawaiian Airlines, and we appreciate Cosmo’s investment in locally sourced SAF – the most effective technology to lower our carbon emissions – that we are now using on our flights between Osaka and Honolulu.” said Alanna James, Hawaiian Airlines sustainability innovation director.
The SAF is approved under ISCC CORSIA and ISCC EU certification, confirming compliance with international sustainability standards. Officials said the program strengthens Japan’s pathway toward global climate targets and supports the international aviation industry’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Japan has targeted a 10% blend for international services by 2030, backing the Cosmo Energy facility that now produces the fuel domestically. By successfully executing this program, Japan establishes a clear precedent and supply chain model for future sustainable aviation flights, including future Osaka to Honolulu operations.
Asia-Pacific Emerging as a Sustainable Fuel Market
Hawaiian Airlines’ investing into sustainable aviation fuel is part of a broader wave of development across the Asia-Pacific, where governments and airline carriers are taking steps to scale up adoption. Singapore has set a 1% SAF mandate for all flights out of Changi Airport by 2026, rising to up to 5% by 2030.
Production capacity is expanding in step. Neste played a key role in expanding the SAF market, partnering with airlines and cargo carriers worldwide to increase sustainable fuel use. In 2023, the renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel producer completed a €1.6 billion expansion of its Singapore refinery, doubling production capacity of renewable products and boosting SAF capacity to up to 1 million tons a year, making it the world’s largest SAF site. Japan’s first large-scale plant is also now in operation.
DHL Express has partnered with Cosmo Oil to power freight flights with Japanese-produced sustainable fuel, with the first flights beginning in April 2025. Separately, DHL Express secured Neste-produced SAF for flights departing from Singapore’s Changi Airport in July 2025, with these flights operated in partnership with Singapore Airlines. Read more on recent DHL SAF partnerships.
Analysts say these initiatives underline the Asia-Pacific’s potential to become a central hub for sustainable aviation fuel flights as the regional supply chains mature.
Stay connected with Travel Radar for the latest on sustainable aviation fuel and airline innovation.
Your writing has a way of making even the most complex topics accessible and engaging. I’m constantly impressed by your ability to distill complicated concepts into easy-to-understand language.