If no improvements are made to efficiency, then aviation’s carbon emissions would grow over time as demand for air travel increases.
Our Carbon Net Zero Commitment
We have a quantified roadmap to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions in the short, medium and long-term, relative to our 2019 baseline. We call it our Flightpath to Carbon Net Zero.
Our Flightpath to Carbon Net Zero strategy, shown below, illustrates how we’ll deliver on our commitment through a combination of aircraft and operational efficiencies, investments in new technology, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF*), and carbon removals.
- More
- More
By investing in new aircraft and in time, introducing new low and zero-emissions aircraft, we’ll deliver around a third of our emissions reductions by 2050. We’re also driving operational efficiency by improving how we plan, prepare and operate our flights.
- More
A further third of emissions reductions will come from switching to sustainable aviation fuel, meeting about 50% of our fuel needs by 2050, and potentially up to 70% with appropriate policy support.
- More
The final third will come from robust carbon reductions and removals in other sectors.
- More
We’re also working to empower our customers to make more informed travel choices, which could mean that together, we could reach our destination sooner.
- More
At the halfway point in the first of our three decades to meet our Carbon Net Zero goal, we’re firmly focused on what we’ll deliver in the short term by 2030, and four key areas of action:
- Engaging our colleagues to take action and contribute to our sustainability journey
- Increasing the usage of SAF through partnerships
- Leveraging a carbon removals portfolio
- Forming new partnerships to drive innovation and deliver change
We’ve made good progress in all these areas, but we know that more work is needed to realise our Carbon Net Zero and interim commitments.
Our 2025 Progress
In 2025, we continued to identify and deliver carbon reduction projects across our business, increase our usage of SAF, and engage with government and industry on the scale up of carbon removals.
Emissions intensity over time
In 2025 we reduced our emissions intensity by 14% versus our 2019 baseline and 0.2% versus 2024. In absolute terms, our emissions fell by 14.5% versus our 2019 baseline, and 0.7% versus 2024 across all scopes.
We know we have a long way to go, but over the coming years, we’ll continue to work across the business in pursuit of our near and long-term goals. And we’ll report our progress in these areas, keeping our plans under constant review to ensure we aim higher and move faster wherever new innovations allow.
Our 2019 baseline compared
to 2025 emissions
All emissions stated in tonnes of CO2e
% change against the 2019 baseline
Scope 1 & 2
Fuel
2019: 19,009,662
2025: 15,438,886
-19%
Location Based Electricity
2019: 46,816
2025: 30,089
-36%
Market Based Electricity
2019: 13,782
2025: 7,235
-48%
Scope 3
Purchased goods & services
2019: 381 (water only)
2025: 1,680,807 (all goods and services)
Capital goods - aircraft manufacture & disposal
2019: 232,000
2025: 168,000
Fuel and energy-related production
2019: 3,942,439
2025: 3,371,049
Waste generated in operations
2019: 1,509
2025: 16,563
Business travel - flights on non-IAG carriers
2019: 108
2025: 12,533
Employee commuting
2019: 10,445
2025: 64,380
Downstream transportation & distribution
2019: 223,773
2025: 159,417
Upstream transportation & distribution
2019: first reported in 2020
2020: 1,753
2025: 4,721
Franchises
2019: 379,207
2025: 3,825 (partnership with SunAir ended in July 2025)
Baseline for end of life treatment in progress
Aircraft and Operational Efficiency
Aircraft Modernisation
The carbon intensity of our operations is influenced by several factors, including the aircraft type flown, the weight of the aircraft, passenger and cargo load factors and operational efficiency procedures. Based on British Airways operational data, our newest aircraft are approximately 20-35% more efficient today** than the ones they replace.
In 2025, we retired four A319s and four A320 ceo aircraft and received:
1 x 787-10
7 x A320 neos
5 x A321 neos
At the end of 2025,
our flight inventory was
278
aircraft
14.1years
average fleet age
A lower average fleet age indicates a more efficient fleet. According to IATA, the average age of the world’s commercial airline fleet was 14.8 years at the end of 2024.
Operational Efficiency Initiatives
We’re working to reduce our emissions intensity both in the air and on the ground. It all starts with building an internal culture of engagement, as sustainability is a journey that we’re all on together.
Following the launch of our internal 2030 commitment to further reduce our emissions through operational efficiency initiatives, we ran two internal campaigns in 2025 to tap into our colleagues’ expertise. More than 500 ideas were collated to contribute to this commitment. These ideas have been reviewed, feeding into project delivery in 2026 and beyond.
As part of delivering this commitment, we’re working with our Heathrow ground operations teams, engineers and airports around the world to improve operational efficiency. This includes introducing more electric and hybrid vehicles into our operation, replacing diesel models. And, to support the introduction of new electric ground service vehicles, we’re undertaking a large project to introduce permanent charging infrastructure at Heathrow.
In 2025, we took delivery of 13 new electric ground power units (GPUs) for narrow-body aircraft, 10 electric passenger buses (23 ordered in total), 2 electric water bowsers (with 3 more to be delivered), 4 new hybrid UVs (7 ordered in total) and are awaiting delivery of 3 electric toilet bowsers.
In 2025, we also saved approximately 70,000 tonnes of carbon emissions through in-flight operational efficiency measures, equivalent to the household emissions of approximately 2,700 families in the UK. This was possible due to new initiatives, such as the reduced engine taxi out on our A350 fleet, the first of our wide-body aircraft fleet to carry out this procedure.
Tap below to learn more about some of our key emission reduction initiatives already in place.
Flight ops efficiency initiatives
We’re working to increase operational efficiency through several initiatives. These include reduced engine taxi, improved flight paths via live wind updates, the removal of airspace restrictions for our flights and a review of alternate destination airports.
Pilot sustainability training
More than 4,200 pilots, representing approximately 99% of our pilot population, have already completed their annual flight crew sustainability training programme. This focuses on reducing engine taxi in and out and the intelligent use of discretionary fuel. Our fuel efficiency dashboard also builds awareness and provides insights to help flight crew make more informed choices.
Tankering
On 1st January 2025, we adopted a zero-based approach to global economic tankering within our operations – beyond the mandated requirement set out by ReFuel EU. Tankering occurs when airlines uplift excess fuel in one airport to cover the full or partial return for economic benefit.
HVO vehicles at London Heathrow
We’re introducing more electric and hybrid vehicles into our operation, replacing diesel models. We’ve already switched more than 750 pieces of ground equipment from fossil fuel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). Derived from renewable sources, HVO helps reduce lifecycle emissions by approximately 83% compared to traditional fossil fuels, based on British Airways operational data.
Mototoks
For short-haul aircraft, we’re replacing diesel tugs with remote-controlled pushback vehicles, called Mototoks. We’re also ensuring aircraft plug into renewable electricity at Heathrow when on stand, to help power the lights and air conditioning.
Aircraft Steps EV
We’ve replaced 21 aircraft steps with electric variants and new towable solar powered steps.
Engineering vehicles
Across our maintenance bases, we’re continuing the conversion of hangar vehicles and equipment to electric models, while using HVO fuel where possible.
Property energy management tracking system
Across our property portfolio, we continue to strengthen how we measure energy use. By implementing a data analysis and reporting tool, we’re enhancing visibility of performance and building the evidence base needed to identify, prioritise and deliver actions that reduce energy consumption.
Engineering ops
Our engineering teams are working to improve operational efficiency – from reducing fuel use through to better prioritisation of defects, to improving fuel efficiency on our aircraft.
Flight ops efficiency initiatives
We’re working to increase operational efficiency through several initiatives. These include reduced engine taxi, improved flight paths via live wind updates, the removal of airspace restrictions for our flights and a review of alternate destination airports.
Pilot sustainability training
More than 4,200 pilots, representing approximately 99% of our pilot population, have already completed their annual flight crew sustainability training programme. This focuses on reducing engine taxi in and out and the intelligent use of discretionary fuel. Our fuel efficiency dashboard also builds awareness and provides insights to help flight crew make more informed choices.
Tankering
On 1st January 2025, we adopted a zero-based approach to global economic tankering within our operations – beyond the mandated requirement set out by ReFuel EU. Tankering occurs when airlines uplift excess fuel in one airport to cover the full or partial return for economic benefit.
HVO vehicles at London Heathrow
We’re introducing more electric and hybrid vehicles into our operation, replacing diesel models. We’ve already switched more than 750 pieces of ground equipment from fossil fuel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). Derived from renewable sources, HVO helps reduce lifecycle emissions by approximately 83% compared to traditional fossil fuels, based on British Airways operational data.
Mototoks
For short-haul aircraft, we’re replacing diesel tugs with remote-controlled pushback vehicles, called Mototoks. We’re also ensuring aircraft plug into renewable electricity at Heathrow when on stand, to help power the lights and air conditioning.
Aircraft Steps EV
We’ve replaced 21 aircraft steps with electric variants and new towable solar powered steps.
Engineering vehicles
Across our maintenance bases, we’re continuing the conversion of hangar vehicles and equipment to electric models, while using HVO fuel where possible.
Property energy management tracking system
Across our property portfolio, we continue to strengthen how we measure energy use. By implementing a data analysis and reporting tool, we’re enhancing visibility of performance and building the evidence base needed to identify, prioritise and deliver actions that reduce energy consumption.
Engineering ops
Our engineering teams are working to improve operational efficiency – from reducing fuel use through to better prioritisation of defects, to improving fuel efficiency on our aircraft.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel
‘Sustainable Aviation Fuels‘ (‘SAF’) are defined in the Refuel EU Aviation Regulation as aviation fuels that are either synthetic aviation fuels, aviation biofuels or recycled carbon aviation fuels.
SAF produces almost the same levels of carbon dioxide to conventional aviation fuels when burned, but the carbon dioxide generated is already part of the carbon cycle and is not extracted from the ground specifically for creating aviation fuel. This means that using SAF results in a reduction in carbon emissions compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces over the full lifecycle of the fuel, although emissions still remain. In fact, SAF has the potential to provide a lifecycle carbon reduction of at least 65% compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces.
As SAF is similar in chemistry to traditional fossil jet fuel, it can be dropped straight into our existing fuel supply infrastructure and aircraft without modification. As a result, it’s the readiest solution to help reduce the carbon emissions associated with aviation.
SAF is a key part of our plans to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. We were also part of the first airline group to commit to a 10% SAF uptake target by 2030, dependent on appropriate government policy support (the UK government is mandating this level of SAF use***). However, a major challenge is that SAF availability remains low globally; In 2025, IATA expects global SAF production to reach 2.5 billion litres, accounting for just 0.7% of aviation’s fuel need.
Projected SAF trajectory graph: Projections are based on forecast assumptions as of March 2025. Projections for carbon intensity with SAF are dependent on appropriate government policy support and market supply.
In 2025, SAF accounted for 4.5% of British Airways’ total fuel usage. In 2025, we used 225,000 tonnes of SAF, saving approximately 713,000 tCO2e, in lifecycle emissions that would have resulted from the fossil-based jet fuel it replaced.
Whilst small, this is a 73% increase from 2024 (from 2.7% and 130,000 tonnes of SAF). A significant share of the SAF used in 2025 was uplifted to meet evolving UK and EU regulatory requirements, with the remainder supplied through our voluntary Scope 3 programme. This voluntary portion is supported by corporate and cargo customers who choose to purchase SAF directly from us to help reduce their own Scope 3 emissions. SAF is an everyday reality in our operation, but we’re investing in a wide-range of innovative technologies to help scale up SAF production.
Philips 66
We were the first airline in the world to use SAF produced on a commercial scale in the UK, after signing a multi-year agreement with Phillips 66 Limited. The UK-produced SAF, made from used cooking oil, is routinely delivered to Heathrow Airport via pipeline. In 2025, at Los Angeles Airport (LAX), Philips 66 also supplied British Airways with SAF produced at the Rodeo refinery in San Francsico Bay area.
LanzaJet
IAG has invested in the world’s first ethanol alcohol-to-jet plant located in Freedom Pines, Georgia. The LanzaJet plant opened in January 2024. IAG has an agreement to supply 33,000 tonnes of SAF between 2024 and 2028, abating approximately 78,000 tonnes of CO2.
Project Speedbird
Combining wood waste and LanzaJet technology, this new investment in the Northeast of England, is projected to reduce CO2 lifecycle emissions by 230,000 tonnes a year once complete.
Twelve
IAG has signed a purchase agreement with Twelve which produces e-SAF, an advanced form of power-to-liquid SAF made from carbon dioxide, water and renewable energy. This is the world’s largest annual agreement to supply power-to-liquid SAF.
Infinium
IAG has signed a ten-year offtake agreement with Infinium, from the Project Roadrunner facility in Texas, USA. Project Roadrunner is scheduled to be the largest global producer of e-SAF once fully operational.
Wastefront
IAG has invested in Wastefront who plan to convert waste tyres into tyre derived oil (TDO), which can in turn be processed to produce SAF.
OXCCU
IAG has invested in OXCCU, an Oxford University spin-out, which has developed a novel, patented process to produce SAF using waste carbon and hydrogen. OXCCU opened their first demonstration plant at London Oxford Airport in 2024 and are currently developing a larger-scale facility expected to be operational in 2026.
Oneworld BEV Fund
Oneworld alliance members have partnered with Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) to launch a new investment fund designed to address the limited availability and high cost of today’s SAF. The fund seeks to accelerate the global development of long-term aviation fuel solutions that are cost effective, scalable, and have lower emissions than conventional fuels.
Investing in the
Innovation of the Future
Through IAGi Ventures and the IAGi Accelerator programme, IAG continues to partner with and invest in start-ups with the potential to influence the future of more sustainable travel. This includes Zero Avia, the UK’s first hydrogen-powered aircraft to successfully conduct test flights at their base in the Cotswolds.
ZeroAvia has submitted for certification its first full engine for up to 20-seat planes and is currently working on a larger powertrain for 40–80-seat aircraft. Significant flight test and regulatory milestones have been achieved with both the U.S Federal Aviation Administration and UK Civil Aviation Authority.
Carbon Removals
Carbon removals are recognised by scientists, governments and regulators as a vital tool in helping to address climate change, but the sector needs to be scaled urgently.
In 2025, Carrie Harris, British Airways’ Director of Sustainability, was invited to chair the UK Government’s Jet Zero Taskforce: Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs) Task and Finish Group. This group brought together members of industry and government to address challenges and opportunities for scaling GGRs in UK aviation. The group reported its findings to the Jet Zero Taskforce CEO & Minister group in December 2025, and its report was published in early 2026.
The outputs of the group included:
- A holistic analysis of ‘the size of the GGR prize’ for UK aviation, including potential demand, economic opportunity and barriers to scale
- Industry members committing to an Advanced Market Signal proof-of-concept, which sees UK aviation companies, including British Airways, commit to purchasing over £2m worth of highly durable removal credits
- A number of policy ideas to support the GGR industry to scale and increase UK aviation purchasing of credits
This work builds upon a long-term deal we signed in 2024 to purchase more than £9 million worth of carbon removals credits in the United Kingdom and overseas which includes:
A scheme in Scotland where CO2 emissions are captured from whisky distilleries and repurposed into building materials
A programme that spreads silicate rock across multiple locations in the UK and Canada and uses an enhanced rock weathering technique to lock away carbon for thousands of years
Two companies specialising in high-durability reforestation projects, increasing the amount of forested land in Scotland and Wales
Canadian carbon capture projects focusing on carbon removal from rivers and oceans using alkaline rock particles
A biochar project in India that empowers female farmers, while enhancing soil biodiversity and farm yields
Carbon removal credits from Climeworks, which operates the world’s two largest Direct Air Capture plants; in Iceland, with plans to expand internationally, and 1PointFive, a US-based company developing a Direct Air Capture plant in Texas
The majority of these purchases have been facilitated by CUR8, a UK-based company that specialises in sourcing high quality carbon removals credits. So far we’ve purchased 38,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits.
38000
Tonnes of carbon removal credits purchased.
EU SAF Support Mechanism
In March 2025, British Airways, BA Cityflyer and BA Euroflyer applied for the EU SAF support mechanism available under the EU ETS through the Fuels Eligible for ETS (FEETS) Regulation. This support mechanism aims to promote the uptake of SAF by granting EU ETS emission allowances to airlines for the use of SAF on eligible routes within the scheme.
The allowances help bridge the price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF on flights covered by EU ETS carbon pricing. During 2024, British Airways, BA Cityflyer and BA Euroflyer uplifted more than 130,000 tonnes of SAF, of which 8,747 tonnes qualified for EU ETS support.
Based on this volume, British Airways, BA Cityflyer and BA Euroflyer were awarded 154,668 ETS emissions allowances in September 2025, of which volumes were credited to each airline’s EU ETS registry account.
Based on the 2024 weighted average price of auctions – carried out in accordance with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2830, as published on the common auction platform (€64.74 per allowance), this equated to a financial support of €10,013,206. Refer to the consolidated financial statements for financial accounting of EU ETS allowances.
Due to the retrospective nature of this programme, British Airways, BA Cityflyer and BA Euroflyer will receive confirmation of EU ETS allowances awarded for SAF volumes uplifted in 2025 as part of their 2026 EU ETS compliance cycle.
Non-CO2 Climate Impacts
In addition to carbon emissions, flying also releases non-CO2 emissions such as nitrogen oxides, water vapor, sulphate aerosols, soot aerosols and the associated formation of condensation trails (contrails). Non-CO2 emissions are known to influence the global climate system though scientists are unsure about the specific impacts.
Collaboration is key to ensure future non-CO2 policy, regulations and incentives are underpinned by robust scientific research.
In 2025 we launched the ATI-part funded Quantifying Reduction in Thermal Contrails by Optimising SAF (QRITOS) project, working with academic and industry partners to gain further insights into how the use of high SAF blend fuels can mitigate against the formation of persistent contrails. Using this knowledge, we’re exploring innovative ways to mitigate non-CO2 impacts in the future and help policymakers and regulators to develop effective initiatives. Over the year, we developed a robust plan for the production, delivery and storage of a certifiable SAF blend, along with a time‑critical process to ensure this fuel could be delivered safely and reliably to the aircraft side.
Throughout 2026, we’ll use this groundwork to conduct live flight trials to assess the operational and technological feasibility of reducing some of these non-CO2 impacts. These trials will involve allocating an up-to-50% SAF blend to selected flights with the highest contrail climate impact, to test whether contrail climate impacts formation can be reduced.
Several industry and academic partners will be involved in the flight trials to:
i) assess the feasibility of SAF allocation in a live operation
ii) explore potential reductions in contrail formation through remote sensing
iii) validate the potential reduction in climate impacts.
We’ll also be participating in the European Commission’s non-CO2 monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) requirements so that we can better share operational information with the industry to generate a more precise estimate of aviation’s climate impacts.
Climate Risk, Mitigation and Adaptation
While we continue to make progress towards reducing our climate impact, we’re aware of the risk of climate change to our operations, the wider business and the future need to adapt to a changing climate. The projected impacts of climate change, including rising sea-levels, more extreme weather and warmer temperatures, all have an impact on our operation.
We have worked with the United Nations World Meteorological Organisation (UN WMO), the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and experts at the University of Reading to better understand how climate change is impacting our airline now and in the future. These collaborations will enable us to assess the operational and commercial risks more accurately and better plan resources and infrastructure to adapt our operation and mitigate risks.
In 2025, we worked with IAG and other IAG airlines to conduct further internal climate risk and mitigation workshops. The outputs of these will be communicated in our annual Climate Related Financial Disclosures within IAG and British Airways annual reports.
Learn more by viewing our 2024 TCFD report.
*’Sustainable Aviation Fuels‘ (‘SAF’) are defined in the Refuel EU Aviation Regulation as aviation fuels that are either synthetic aviation fuels, aviation biofuels or recycled carbon aviation fuels.
**based on British Airway’s operational data
*** The UK SAF mandate requires that 2% of total fossil jet fuel supplied must be SAF in 2025. This will increase annually, reaching 10% in 2030 and 22% by 2040.
ReFuelEU Aviation sets requirements for aviation fuel suppliers to gradually increase the share of SAF blended into the conventional aviation fuel supplied at EU airports. This includes a 2% share of SAF in EU airports from 2025, and a 70% share of SAF in all EU airports from 2050.
Yearly Statistics
Scope 1 CO2e
2025: 15,438,886
Direct emissions associated with British Airways operations including use of jet fuel, diesel, petrol, natural gas, and halon. Sources of emissions include aircraft engines, boilers, auxiliary power units and ground vehicle engines. These emissions are primarily CO2 but other greenhouse gasses (GHGs) such as methane and nitrogen oxide are also reported as part of the CO2 equivalent metric.
Measurement: Tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)
2019 Baseline: 19,047,278
Net Scope 1 CO2e emissions
2025: 13,814,504
Net emissions are calculated by subtracting the emission allowances purchased above the EU ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme) cap and voluntarily purchased offsets.
Measurement: Tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)
2019 Baseline: 17,630,259
Scope 2 location-based emissions
2025: 30,089
Emissions associated with electricity use in, for example, offices, lounges, data centres and hangars.
Measurement: Tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)
2019 Baseline: 44,442
Scope 2 market-based emissions
2025: 7,235
Market-based emissions are based on the carbon intensity of electricity purchased from suppliers.
Measurement: Tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)
2019 Baseline: 12,817
Scope 3 emissions
2025: 5,567,203
Indirect emissions associated with key products and services within our supply chain.
Measurement: Tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)
2019 Baseline: 5,535,880
Emissions intensity (jet fuel)
2025: 82.8
Calculated by dividing total jet fuel scope 1 emissions by total passenger-km, assuming one cargo-tonne-km is equivalent to 10 passenger-km.
Measurement: Grammes of CO2e per passenger kilometre (gCO2/pkm)
2019 Baseline: 96.3
Renewable electricity
2025: 99%
The share of global electricity generated by renewable sources such as solar power and wind, based on volumes procured from renewable electricity suppliers. In cases where electricity sources were unavailable, the source of electricity is assumed to be the national grid.
Measurement: %
2019 Baseline: 80%
Reduction in GHG emissions from initiatives
2025: 33,690
Measurement: Tonnes CO2e
2019 Baseline: 6,905
Jet fuel usage
2025: 5,049,170
Measurement: Million tonnes
2019 Baseline: 5,973,791
Energy intensity scope 2
2025: 0.16
Measurement: Grammes of scope 2 CO2 per passenger kilometre (gCO2/pkm)
2019 Baseline: 0.228
Electricity
2025: 137,050,367
Measurement: kWh
2019 Baseline: 157,426,722
* ‘Sustainable Aviation Fuels’ (‘SAF’) are defined in the Refuel EU Aviation Regulation as aviation fuels that are either synthetic aviation fuels, aviation biofuels or recycled carbon aviation fuels. For further information see our Planet page.
**based on British Airway’s operational data
*** The UK SAF mandate requires that 2% of total fossil jet fuel supplied must be SAF in 2025. This will increase annually, reaching 10% in 2030 and 22% by 2040. ReFuelEU Aviation sets requirements for aviation fuel suppliers to gradually increase the share of SAF blended into the conventional aviation fuel supplied at EU airports. This includes a 2% share of SAF in EU airports from 2025, and a 70% share of SAF in all EU airports from 2050.