United and American Airlines Seek Five-Year Extension of Tax Credits for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production

Two major airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines, are seeking a five-year extension of the Inflation Reduction Act tax credits intended to boost the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over the next five years, which they argue are insufficient. The airlines, who have pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, argue this will not be met without help from Congress. Tom Michels, government affairs director at United, and Jill Blickstein, vice president for sustainability at American, respectively, expressed difficulty in meeting their emissions reduction targets without an extension.