Sustainable Aviation
Pratt Whitney GTF Engines Achieve Record Orders in Sustainable Aviation
Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engines surpass 12,000 global orders with 20% fuel efficiency gains, driving airline sustainability and operational cost reductions.
As the aviation industry faces mounting pressure to reduce emissions and enhance operational efficiency, engine manufacturers are stepping up with innovative solutions. Among the leaders in this space is Pratt & Whitney, a business unit of RTX Corporation, which has made significant strides with its Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine program. With nearly 1,100 new orders and commitments in just the first half of 2025, the GTF engine continues to gain traction among global airlines seeking fuel efficiency, lower maintenance costs, and reduced environmental impact.
The GTF engine represents a transformative shift in single-aisle aircraft propulsion. Its revolutionary geared architecture allows different components of the engine to operate at optimal speeds, enhancing performance and fuel economy. As of June 2025, total GTF engine orders and commitments have surpassed 12,000 units, a clear signal of industry confidence in the technology. This article explores the GTF engine’s growth, technological advancements, and its broader implications for the future of aviation.
Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine program has seen a remarkable uptick in demand in 2025. According to RTX, nearly 1,100 orders and commitments have been secured since the beginning of the year. Airlines such as Aegean Airlines, Air Niugini, ANA, Frontier Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, and Wizz Air have all placed orders, joined by two undisclosed customers. This surge brings the total number of GTF engines ordered or committed to over 12,000 units worldwide.
Such demand is not only a testament to the engine’s performance but also reflects the aviation industry’s strategic pivot toward more sustainable technologies. The GTF’s ability to deliver up to 20% lower fuel consumption compared to previous generation engines translates directly into cost savings and reduced carbon emissions, two priorities for modern carriers.
With approximately 2,400 GTF-powered aircraft already delivered to over 85 customers globally, the engine’s presence in commercial fleets continues to expand. These numbers underscore a growing consensus among airlines that the GTF engine is a reliable and future-ready solution for narrow-body aircraft.
“These orders demonstrate confidence in Pratt & Whitney and the value the GTF delivers to customers with its industry-leading fuel efficiency.” — Rick Deurloo, President of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney
At the core of the GTF engine’s appeal is its unique geared architecture. This design allows the fan to spin slower and the low-pressure turbine to spin faster, optimizing efficiency and reducing noise. The result is a 75% smaller noise footprint and up to 20% lower fuel burn compared to traditional engines.
Pratt & Whitney has continued to evolve the GTF platform with new innovations. The GTF Advantage variant, which received FAA type certification earlier in 2025, is scheduled to enter service in 2026. This upgraded engine offers improved range capability, enhanced durability, and even better fuel efficiency, making it a compelling option for airlines planning fleet renewals or expansions.
Another notable upgrade is the GTF Hot Section Plus (HS+) option. This enhancement nearly doubles time on wing by increasing engine durability. Extended maintenance intervals reduce aircraft downtime and maintenance costs, providing further value to operators. The aviation sector is under increasing scrutiny for its environmental footprint. With international regulations tightening and public demand for greener travel growing, airlines are under pressure to adopt cleaner technologies. The GTF engine directly supports these goals by reducing both fuel consumption and noise pollution.
Single-aisle aircraft, which form the backbone of global commercial aviation, particularly for low-cost and regional carriers, benefit significantly from the GTF’s efficiencies. These aircraft typically operate on high-frequency routes, where fuel savings and noise reduction can have a cumulative impact on both costs and community relations.
Moreover, the GTF engine’s architecture offers a scalable foundation for future propulsion technologies. As the industry explores hybrid-electric and hydrogen-powered solutions, having an adaptable core engine design positions Pratt & Whitney to integrate next-generation innovations more seamlessly.
RTX Corporation, the parent company of Pratt & Whitney, stands as the world’s largest aerospace and defense company, with 2024 sales exceeding $80 billion and a global workforce of over 185,000 employees. This scale enables RTX to invest heavily in research, development, and global support infrastructure.
Through its integrated businesses, Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, and Raytheon, RTX is uniquely positioned to drive innovation across both commercial and defense aviation sectors. The GTF engine program benefits from this synergy, drawing on cross-disciplinary expertise in materials science, digital engineering, and systems integration.
Global partnerships further reinforce RTX’s strategic positioning. Recent agreements, such as the memorandum of understanding with the Singapore Economic Development Board, outline long-term growth roadmaps and support the company’s vision for sustainable aviation leadership.
The diversity of airlines ordering the GTF engine, from full-service carriers like ANA to budget operators like Wizz Air, illustrates its broad market appeal. These customers are betting on the engine’s long-term performance, efficiency, and reliability to support their business models in an increasingly competitive environment.
Fleet planning decisions are made with decades-long horizons, and the GTF engine’s track record of over 250 million projected flight hours by the mid-2030s offers a compelling case for long-term value. With maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) support embedded into the RTX global network, customers can also count on consistent service and parts availability. As sustainability becomes a core pillar of airline branding and investor relations, the GTF engine’s environmental credentials provide additional strategic leverage. Operators can market their use of fuel-efficient technology as part of broader ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) commitments.
Despite its many advantages, the GTF engine program has not been without challenges. Earlier iterations faced durability concerns, which Pratt & Whitney has addressed through continuous upgrades like the HS+ option. Ensuring consistent performance across diverse operating environments remains a key focus for the company.
Supply chain resilience is another area of attention. As global aerospace manufacturing ramps up post-pandemic, ensuring timely delivery of engines and parts is critical. RTX’s scale and diversified supplier base help mitigate these risks, but ongoing vigilance is necessary.
Looking ahead, the integration of digital monitoring tools and predictive maintenance will further enhance engine performance and reliability. These technologies will be central to managing large fleets of GTF-powered aircraft efficiently and cost-effectively.
The strong market response to Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine in 2025 underscores a broader shift in aviation toward sustainability, efficiency, and innovation. With over 12,000 orders and commitments and a growing presence in global airline fleets, the GTF engine is fast becoming a cornerstone of modern commercial aviation.
As the GTF Advantage enters service and new durability enhancements like the HS+ option are adopted, Pratt & Whitney is poised to solidify its leadership in the single-aisle engine market. Backed by RTX’s global reach and technological ecosystem, the GTF engine program is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of airlines and regulators alike.
What is the GTF engine? How many GTF engines have been ordered? What are the environmental benefits of the GTF engine? RTX News Center, Airbus – Aegean Airlines, Airbus – Air Niugini, Airbus – LOT Polish Airlines, RTX – GTF Hot Section Plus
Pratt & Whitney’s GTF™ Engines: Driving the Future of Sustainable Aviation
Unpacking the Surge in GTF Engine Orders
Record-Breaking Demand in 2025
Key Technological Advancements
Market and Environmental Impact
Strategic Positioning and Industry Implications
RTX’s Role in Aviation Innovation
Customer Confidence and Long-Term Value
Challenges and the Path Forward
Conclusion
FAQ
The GTF (Geared Turbofan) engine is an advanced aircraft engine developed by Pratt & Whitney that uses a geared architecture to optimize performance, reduce fuel consumption, and lower noise.
As of mid-2025, more than 12,000 orders and commitments have been made by over 90 customers worldwide.
The engine offers up to 20% fuel savings and a 75% reduction in noise compared to previous-generation engines, supporting greener aviation initiatives.
Sources
Photo Credit: RTX
Sustainable Aviation
SABA Members Back Infinium eSAF Facility With Long-Term Deals
Google, McKinsey, and others sign binding SAFc agreements to support Infinium Energy’s 100,000 MT/year Texas eSAF project.
Corporate members of the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) have signed binding, multi-year agreements to purchase sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc) from Infinium Energy’s planned electro-sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) facility in Texas. The commitments, announced on September 22, 2026, are designed to provide the financial demand signals necessary for Infinium to reach a final investment decision on the project.
In a press release issued by SABA, the organization confirmed that American Airlines (AA) will serve as the physical offtaker for the fuel, managing logistics and delivery. The corporate buyers purchasing the associated certificates include AVEVA, Bain & Company, Google, and McKinsey & Company. The agreement marks the first time SABA’s procurement model has been utilized to directly drive new production capacity for scalable sustainable aviation fuel.
Infinium Energy was selected through a SABA procurement process earlier in 2026 to provide ultra-low carbon eSAF. The fuel is produced using waste carbon dioxide and renewable energy, distinguishing it from traditional biofuel pathways that rely on agricultural or waste feedstocks.
The planned Texas facility, designated Project Atlas, is expected to have an annual sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production capacity of 100,000 metric tons. According to the alliance, the contracted volumes will support an expected greenhouse gas abatement of 212,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (mtCO2e). SABA equates this emissions reduction to approximately 3,500 commercial flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
“We’re proud to partner with SABA members including AVEVA, Bain & Company, Google, McKinsey, and others, as well as American Airlines to bring Infinium Energy’s next world scale eSAF facility to life. Their commitment reflects a shared conviction that decarbonizing aviation requires real investment in next-generation supply,” said Robert Schuetzle, CEO of Infinium Energy. The transaction utilizes a book-and-claim model. Corporate buyers purchase the SAFc to claim the environmental benefits against their business travel emissions, while the physical fuel is delivered to partner airlines. This mechanism allows corporations to fund SAF production even when the physical fuel cannot be delivered directly to the airports their employees use.
American Airlines will manage the physical integration of the eSAF into the commercial aviation fuel supply chain. Jill Blickstein, Chief Sustainability Officer at American Airlines, stated that the corporate commitments broaden participation in the SAF market and demonstrate how customers can collaborate with airlines and fuel producers to advance decarbonization.
SABA, a joint initiative of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Center for Green Market Activation (GMA), and RMI, has aggregated $500 million in SAFc demand from 35 companies to date. Aviation currently accounts for approximately 2 to 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Novel technologies are critical to meeting future demand for sustainable aviation fuel, but they will not be operational in time without investments made today. This procurement demonstrates how aggregated, long-term demand can help take promising eSAF projects from idea to reality,” said Jon Creyts, CEO of RMI. We view this agreement as a critical structural step for the eSAF market. Power-to-Liquid (PtL) fuels like those planned for Project Atlas face a steep commercialization barrier. They are highly capital-intensive to build and currently produce fuel at a significant cost premium compared to both conventional Jet A and HEFA-based SAF derived from waste fats and oils. Airlines operate on thin margins and generally cannot absorb the full green premium of eSAF alone. By unbundling the environmental attributes from the physical fuel, the SABA model allows highly capitalized corporate entities like Google and McKinsey & Company to absorb that premium. More importantly, signing binding, multi-year offtake agreements provides the revenue certainty that infrastructure lenders require before financing first-of-a-kind industrial facilities. If Project Atlas reaches a positive final investment decision based on these contracts, it will validate the book-and-claim model as a viable financing mechanism for next-generation aerospace infrastructure.
Sources: Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance via PR Newswire
Project Atlas production and environmental targets
Aggregating demand through book-and-claim
AirPro News analysis
Photo Credit: Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance
Sustainable Aviation
EU Exceeds 2025 SAF Mandate at 2.79 Percent Blend Rate
EASA reports EU airports hit 2.79% SAF blend in 2025, surpassing the 2% ReFuelEU mandate with 1.1M tonnes supplied.
The European Union surpassed its initial Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandate in 2025, with SAF accounting for 2.79 percent of all jet fuel supplied to EU airports during the first mandatory reporting year.
According to the 2026 ReFuelEU Aviation Annual Technical Report published by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on September 17, 2026, fuel suppliers delivered 1.1 million tonnes of SAF against a total aviation fuel supply of 39.3 million tonnes. The 2.79 percent blend rate comfortably exceeded the 2 percent minimum required by the ReFuelEU regulation for 2025. This uptake resulted in an estimated reduction of 3.77 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.
“We are pleased to confirm that the SAF mandate under ReFuelEU Aviation was not only met but exceeded,” EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet stated in the agency’s press release. The EASA report indicates high compliance rates across the sector. Ninety-three percent of aircraft operators and 90 percent of fuel suppliers fulfilled their reporting obligations in 2025. EASA noted that noncompliance among aircraft operators was primarily limited to small business jet operators, nonscheduled carriers, and third-country operators that failed to respond to competent authorities.
SAF distribution reached 121 Airports across all 27 Member States, representing 79 percent of all Union airports. Uptake was heavily concentrated at major European hubs. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) accounted for 29 percent of the tracked SAF supply, followed by Frankfurt Airport (FRA) at 8 percent and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at 7 percent.
While the headline blending figures demonstrate regulatory success, the technical report reveals a structural reliance on imported raw materials. Although 86 percent of the SAF supplied at EU airports was refined domestically within the European Union, 85 percent of the underlying feedstocks originated from outside the bloc.
The primary feedstock utilized was Used Cooking Oil (UCO) processed via the Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) pathway. Of the imported feedstocks, 61 percent originated from China, with additional volumes sourced from Malaysia and Indonesia. On the refining side, Neste’s Rotterdam facility alone produced 33 percent of all European SAF in 2025.
The successful implementation of the 2 percent mandate in 2025 proves that the logistical framework for SAF distribution at major European hubs is functional. However, the heavy reliance on Asian Used Cooking Oil presents a long-term vulnerability for European aviation. As the ReFuelEU mandate scales to 6 percent in 2030, the Regulations will also introduce sub-mandates for synthetic aviation fuels (e-fuels). With approximately 50 synthetic fuel projects awaiting final investment decisions and no large-scale e-fuel facilities currently operational in Europe, we anticipate significant capital mobilization will be required over the next 36 months to prevent future supply bottlenecks and reduce dependency on imported biomass.
Sources: European Union Aviation Safety Agency
Compliance and distribution across European hubs
Supply chain dynamics and feedstock dependencies
AirPro News analysis
Photo Credit: European Union Aviation Safety Agency
Sustainable Aviation
Montana Renewables Cuts SAF Expansion Cost to $137M
Calumet’s Montana Renewables targets 200M gallons of SAF annually by 2028 for $137M, down from a $1.2B plan.
Calumet, Inc. and its subsidiary Montana Renewables, LLC announced a revised expansion plan on September 1, 2026, that will scale SAF production to 200 million gallons annually by 2028 for a fraction of the originally projected cost.
By repurposing existing refining equipment at the Great Falls, Montana facility, the company expects to complete the MaxSAF project with only $137 million in remaining capital. This abandons a previous $1.2 billion megaproject design. The pivot eliminates the need for third-party equity and minimizes debt while accelerating domestic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) capacity.
The original Phase 2 plan contemplated $1.2 billion in capital expenditure. The revised strategy captures 70 percent of the expected benefit for 15 percent of the cost. The financial restructuring involves an amended Loan Guarantee Agreement (LGA) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The original LGA was executed in January 2025, with a $782 million first tranche funded in February 2025 to recapitalize Montana Renewables, LLC (MRL). Under the amended agreement, the company will make a final draw of $34 million. This is significantly lower than the original $658 million Phase 2 DOE funding limit.
Calumet CEO Todd Borgmann stated the Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) supported the adjustment to the loan agreement.
“Our amended agreement with the DOE facilitates innovative technology and domestic energy security at a fraction of the original cost. EDF’s willingness to right-size the LGA reflects its ongoing support for Montana’s largest agricultural investment. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the DOE on the success of this project,” Borgmann said. Borgmann credited the company’s engineering and operational teams for developing a project that maximizes output while drastically reducing the required capital investment.
The Great Falls facility currently operates at a 60 million gallon SAF run-rate following a spring 2026 constraint removal. A scheduled turnaround in the fourth quarter of 2026 will tie in repurposed equipment from the adjacent Calumet Montana Refining facility.
Following the fourth-quarter integration, the company expects to exceed an 80 million gallon SAF run-rate by December 31, 2026. Production is projected to surpass 120 million gallons by spring 2027 and reach the 200 million gallon target by December 31, 2028. Total renewable product sales, including renewable diesel and renewable gasoline, are targeted at 17,000 barrels per day by year-end 2028. This represents a 40 percent expansion. The expanded facility will consume 2 billion pounds of ranch- and farm-originated feedstocks annually.
The revised MaxSAF expansion highlights a strategic shift in how producers approach SAF scaling. As noted by Aviation Week on September 2, 2026, the plan allows the largest US producer of SAF to more than triple its production capacity for barely 10 percent of the originally planned investment.
During Calumet’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call on August 7, 2026, the company confirmed that Montana Renewables completed performance testing of the newly installed MaxSAF catalyst, which met or exceeded expectations. By leveraging existing fossil-fuel infrastructure rather than pursuing multi-billion-dollar greenfield projects, producers can bring SAF to market faster and with significantly lower financial risk. This capital-efficient model may set a precedent for other refiners looking to enter or expand in the renewable fuels sector without diluting equity or taking on unsustainable debt.
Sources: Calumet, Inc.
Capital efficiency and Department of Energy funding
Production timeline and capacity milestones
AirPro News analysis
Photo Credit: Montana Renewables
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