Decarbonization of Aviation: Solutions, Strategies and the Path to Net-Zero for Business Aviation

The decarbonization of aviation is one of the most complex industrial transitions of the current decade. Aviation accounts for approximately 2% of global CO2 emissions directly, but when non-CO2 effects including contrail formation, nitrogen oxide emissions at altitude, and high-altitude water vapor are included, the sector’s total climate impact is estimated to be two to four times the CO2-only figure. Both ICAO and IATA have committed the aviation industry to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, a target that requires aviation decarbonization at a scale and pace no single technology can deliver alone.

For business aviation specifically, the decarbonization of the aviation industry creates both obligations and opportunities. Business aviation contributes a proportionally small share of total aviation emissions relative to commercial aviation, but it faces the same regulatory trajectory and the same pressure from corporate clients, sustainability-conscious passengers, and institutional investors to demonstrate measurable progress. The NBAA estimates that business aviation contributes approximately $150 billion to the U.S. economy and supports over 1.2 million jobs, which means efforts to decarbonize aviation must be pursued in ways that preserve the sector’s operational and economic fundamentals.

This guide covers the three primary technology pathways for aviation decarbonization (SAF, electric and hybrid propulsion, and hydrogen propulsion), the operational steps business aviation operators can take now, and the policy and regulatory framework shaping how quickly each solution can scale.

The Decarbonization of the Aviation Industry: Targets, Timelines and CORSIA

Understanding where the decarbonization of the aviation industry currently stands helps business aviation operators contextualize their own choices against the broader sector trajectory.

IATA has mapped the pathway to net-zero 2050 across four main levers. SAF is projected to contribute approximately 65% of the required emissions reductions. New aircraft technology and engine efficiency improvements are expected to contribute around 13%. Operational and infrastructure improvements including airspace efficiency and ground operations contribute approximately 3%. Carbon offsetting and carbon capture address the residual gap at approximately 19%. These proportions will shift as technology matures, but they confirm that no single solution closes the gap and a portfolio approach is required.

CORSIA (the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) is the primary international compliance mechanism established by ICAO. CORSIA requires airlines operating international routes to offset growth in emissions above 2019 baseline levels. The pilot phase runs through 2026, the first phase runs from 2027 to 2030, and the second phase from 2030 to 2035. Business aviation operators subject to CORSIA should verify their compliance obligations with their regulatory authority, as applicability varies by aircraft type, operator status, and route category.

The European Union’s ReFuelEU Aviation regulation is the most prescriptive regional policy framework currently in force. It requires fuel suppliers at EU airports to blend a minimum percentage of SAF that increases progressively from 2% in 2025 to 70% by 2050. For business aviation operators flying within or through the EU, ReFuelEU creates both a compliance obligation and an increasing SAF availability signal as European airports scale supply infrastructure.

For business aviation specifically, the NBAA has developed its own sustainability framework that guides operators on emissions measurement, SAF adoption, and sustainability reporting. Operators who want to demonstrate credible decarbonization progress to corporate clients and institutional stakeholders should align their reporting methodology with the NBAA framework or an equivalent recognized standard. Just Aviation’s sustainable solutions services provide the operational infrastructure to support this commitment.

What Are The Decarbonization aviation Solutions ?

There are several ways that business aviation can reduce fuel consumption and emissions, ranging from operational improvements to technological innovations. Some of the most promising solutions are:

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): The Primary Decarbonized Aviation Fuel Solution

SAF is a liquid fuel that reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel. It can be produced from various feedstocks, such as waste oils, municipal waste, non-food crops, or carbon captured from the air. SAF is compatible with existing aircraft engines and fuel infrastructure, and can be blended with conventional jet fuel. SAF is currently the most viable option for decarbonizing business aviation, as it can be used without major modifications to the fleet. However, SAF faces challenges such as limited availability, high cost, and lack of harmonized standards and policies. Despite these challenges, SAF remains the most immediately scalable decarbonized aviation fuel solution available to operators today. IATA’s net-zero pathway projects SAF could supply up to 65% of the carbon mitigation needed by 2050, making it the single largest contributor to the aviation decarbonization plan. For business aviation operators, the practical SAF adoption question is not whether to use it but when and at what scale, since SAF is already available at a growing number of business aviation airports and can be incorporated into fueling contracts without aircraft or engine modifications. Under CORSIA eligibility criteria, SAF lifecycle emissions must achieve a minimum 10% reduction threshold, though most commercially available SAF pathways currently deliver reductions of 50% to 80%.

Electric & Hybrid Propulsion

Electric and hybrid propulsion systems use batteries or fuel cells to power electric motors that drive propellers or fans. These systems can reduce fuel jet consumption and emissions by improving efficiency, eliminating combustion, and using renewable electricity. Electric and hybrid propulsion is suitable for short-range and low-speed flights, such as urban air mobility or regional transportation. However, electric and hybrid propulsion faces challenges such as limited energy density, high weight, safety, and reliability.

Hydrogen Propulsion

Hydrogen propulsion systems use hydrogen as a fuel to power combustion engines or fuel cells that drive electric motors. Hydrogen can be produced from renewable sources, such as water electrolysis or biomass gasification, and can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 100% compared to conventional jet fuel. Hydrogen propulsion is suitable for medium to long-range and high-speed flights, such as transcontinental or intercontinental transportation. However, hydrogen propulsion faces challenges such as high cost, low availability, storage, distribution, and safety.

Business Aviation Decarbonization Solutions: How Operators and Corporate Travelers Can Act Now

Business aviation, a sector pivotal in global transportation, stands poised to embrace decarbonization strategies by undertaking several crucial steps. These include, but are not limited to:

• Assessing the current and future environmental performance of the fleet, and identify the most suitable decarbonization solutions for different types of flights and missions.
• Investing in research and development, and collaborating with industry partners, academia, and government agencies to accelerate the innovation and deployment of decarbonization solutions.
• Supporting the development and implementation of policies and regulations that enable and incentivize the use of decarbonization solutions, such as carbon pricing, SAF mandates, emissions standards, and infrastructure funding.
• Educating and engaging with customers, employees, and stakeholders on the benefits and challenges of decarbonization solutions, and promoting best practices and sustainability initiatives.

 

Corporate Air Travel Decarbonization Options for Flight Departments and Travel Managers

Corporate flight departments and business travel managers occupy a unique position in aviation decarbonization. Unlike commercial airlines that make fleet and fuel decisions centrally across thousands of flights, corporate aviation decision-makers control specific aircraft, specific routes, and specific fueling relationships. This gives them the ability to implement decarbonization measures at the individual flight level rather than waiting for industry-wide infrastructure change.

The most accessible corporate air travel decarbonization options currently available are:

SAF uplift on specific routes or for specific clients. Many corporate flight departments have started by committing to SAF use on flagship routes or for high-visibility client flights. Coordinating SAF availability through a specialist aviation fuel provider removes the logistics barrier that most commonly delays adoption. where the sustainability story is part of the value proposition. This approach generates measurable emissions data without requiring full fleet SAF adoption before supply chains are mature enough to support it.

Carbon offsetting through CORSIA-eligible programs. For flights where SAF is not yet available at the departure or destination airport, certified carbon offset programs provide a credible mechanism for achieving carbon neutrality on a flight-by-flight basis. Corporate sustainability officers should verify that any offset program used meets CORSIA eligibility criteria or an equivalent verified standard such as Gold Standard or Verra VCS.

Fleet modernization planning. Every aircraft generation change produces meaningful emissions reductions. Corporate flight departments planning fleet renewal should factor lifetime emissions reduction alongside acquisition cost, range, and cabin requirements. Modern light jets and midsize jets burn 20 to 30% less fuel per mile than their predecessors from fifteen years ago.

Operational efficiency measures. Flight and route planning that incorporates route optimization, continuous descent approaches, and efficient cruise altitude management produces fuel savings and corresponding emissions reductions that can be measured and reported. and corresponding emissions reductions that can be measured and reported. These measures require no capital investment and can be implemented by any flight department immediately.

Ground operators play a pivotal role in supporting the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) within the aviation industry. To facilitate this transition, some best practices for ground operators regarding SAF implementation include:

• Following the IATA Ground Operations Manual (IGOM), which standardizes ground handling processes and procedures to reduce the complexity between working with multiple airlines, airports and ground service providers. The IGOM also provides guidance on the handling of SAF, such as storage, blending, quality control, and documentation.
• Using the ICAO Guidance Material on SAF, which summarizes potential policies and coordinated approaches for the deployment of SAF, and provides order of magnitude estimations related to SAF costs, investment needs and production potential. The guidance also includes a list of existing and planned SAF projects around the world.
• Complying with the ReFuelEU Aviation proposal, which is a draft regulation by the European Commission that aims to promote the uptake of SAF by imposing obligations on fuel jet suppliers to provide a minimum share of SAF that increases over time. The proposal also sets out sustainability criteria and life cycle methodologies for SAF, and requires the reporting and verification of SAF use by aircraft operators and fuel suppliers.
• Supporting the development and implementation of policies and incentives that enable and encourage the production and use of SAF, such as carbon pricing, SAF mandates, emissions standards, infrastructure funding, tax relief, capital support, and feedstock subsidies.
• Educating and engaging with customers, employees, and stakeholders on the benefits and challenges of SAF, and promoting best practices and sustainability initiatives.

Business aviation has a unique opportunity to lead the way in aviation decarbonization, as it can leverage its flexibility, agility, and innovation to adopt and scale up decarbonization solutions. By doing so, business aviation can not only reduce its environmental impact, but also enhance its competitiveness, reputation, and value proposition.

 

The decarbonization of aviation is a long-term transition that requires operators to act at the individual flight level today while the industry builds the infrastructure, technology, and policy environment needed for net-zero by 2050. Just Aviation supports business aviation operators in taking practical steps now: SAF coordination at airports where supply is available, route and fuel optimization through our trip planning services, and the ground handling and operational coordination that ensures every departure runs as efficiently as possible. For corporate flight departments that need to demonstrate measurable decarbonization progress to their stakeholders, Just Aviation’s sustainable solutions capability provides the service infrastructure to turn that commitment into documented, flight-by-flight action.