2025 Winner: Pioneer of the Year - To accelerate the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), KLM Cityhopper, the regional subsidiary of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, launched the SAF Scale-Up pilot featuring 100% SAF tickets. While many travelers express support for lower-emission flying, participation in voluntary SAF programs has remained limited, creating a gap between intention and action.
Rather than relying on optional contributions, KLM Cityhopper redesigned the model by embedding the full cost of SAF directly into ticket prices on selected routes. This approach shifts SAF from an add-on to a built-in component of the travel product, testing whether sustainability can become a standard expectation rather than a discretionary choice.
By doing so, the initiative directly addresses one of the core barriers to SAF adoption, which is insufficient and inconsistent demand.
Implementation: Designing and Testing the 100% SAF Ticket Model
Embedding SAF into the Ticket Price
The 100% SAF ticket model was developed to test whether passengers would accept higher fares when sustainability is integrated into the core product.
Before launch, multiple pricing concepts were explored to determine how SAF costs could be incorporated effectively. The final model applies a surcharge to all local passengers on selected routes, embedding SAF costs directly into the ticket rather than presenting them as an optional add-on. This required rethinking traditional airline pricing structures and navigating system limitations, particularly in an industry that typically relies on optional ancillary services.
The tickets were introduced in June 2025 and applied to all flights from September 2025 on the Amsterdam to London City and Amsterdam to Hamburg routes. As a result, every local passenger on these routes automatically contributed to SAF procurement.
The surcharge collected is used to fund SAF through a mass-balance system, recognizing that operating aircraft on 100% SAF is not yet technically feasible. This approach allows airlines to scale SAF usage within existing infrastructure while building demand for future supply.
Understanding Passenger Response
To support the rollout, KLM Cityhopper focused on both communication and data collection.
Cabin crews were trained as sustainability ambassadors, equipping them to explain the SAF ticket concept and engage passengers in conversation during flights. At the same time, a partnership with Skyscanner enabled the airline to track customer behavior during the booking process through targeted messaging.
In addition to digital insights, on-the-ground interviews were conducted with passengers at Amsterdam, Hamburg, and London City airports. Combining these qualitative and quantitative inputs provided a more complete understanding of how passengers perceive and respond to SAF-inclusive pricing.
Measurable Impact
Embedding SAF into the ticket price led to a significant increase in participation compared with traditional voluntary models.
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Over 25.000 passengers participated in the program
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SAF-related revenue increased by approximately 100 times compared with previous voluntary contributions
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326.000 kilograms of SAF were purchased over the scope of the pilot
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Estimated reduction nearly 1 million kilograms of CO₂ emissions
These results show that when sustainability is integrated into the default experience, participation increases dramatically and generates meaningful demand for SAF.
Industry Insights
While many airlines continue to offer SAF as an optional add-on, KLM and KLM Cityhopper are among the first to test a model where the full cost of SAF is included by default on selected routes.
This approach highlights a structural challenge within aviation. SAF adoption is constrained by a cycle in which limited demand discourages production, while limited production keeps costs high. By embedding SAF into ticket pricing, this initiative strengthens demand signals to fuel producers and supports investment in scaling supply.
At the same time, it reframes the role of the passenger, shifting from optional contributor to active participant in aviation’s decarbonization efforts. This model demonstrates how airlines can move beyond symbolic sustainability options and begin integrating lower-emission solutions into the core travel experience.