DSV, Microsoft, United Airlines and Phillips 66 Team Up on 11 Million-Gallon SAF Deal

DSV is partnering with Microsoft, United Airlines and Phillips 66 on a sustainable aviation fuel agreement that will make up to 11 million gallons of SAF available, a move the companies say could cut lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by about 100,000 metric tons compared with conventional jet fuel.

The agreement is designed to expand access to SAF by aligning demand, commercial terms and operational execution across the supply chain. United Airlines will use the fuel directly, while DSV and Microsoft will participate through a book-and-claim model that allows verified emissions reductions to be allocated separately from the physical fuel.

Frank Sobotka, CEO of DSV’s Air & Sea Division, said the collaboration supports the company’s long-term sustainability strategy and shows how logistics providers can help connect customers, carriers and fuel producers to scale lower-emission transport options.

United said the deal marks the largest contracted SAF supply agreement with a single customer in the history of its Eco-Skies Alliance corporate SAF program. Lauren Riley, chief sustainability officer at United Airlines, said the agreement demonstrates how large-scale emissions reductions are possible when suppliers, carriers and customers work together across the value chain.

The transaction is backed by International Sustainability and Carbon Certification and tracked through the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Certificate Registry, with DSV also using its internal book-and-claim registry to help verify and allocate emissions reductions while guarding against double counting.

Microsoft said the agreement builds on its efforts to lower emissions across its cloud logistics value chain, while Phillips 66 said its production and logistics network can help deliver SAF at scale now rather than years down the road.

The companies said the emissions savings tied to the deployment are roughly equivalent to removing the impact of one freighter flight per day over the course of a year.

Why it matters for GSW: While the deal centers on fuel supply and carbon accounting, it points to the growing operational pressure on airports, handlers and airline partners to support SAF scaling with the documentation, coordination and infrastructure needed to make these programs work in practice.