

CTM introduces SAF scoring to Lightning
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is becoming an increasingly significant part of the aviation industry’s move towards a more sustainable future. CTM supports organisations and business travellers to understand this shift by displaying SAF scores at the time of booking in the Lightning online booking tool. This feature puts information in front of travel bookers and travellers so they can make more informed travel choices that support their organisation’s sustainability goals.
Businesses, governments and non-profit organisations are all seeking ways to minimise the environmental impact of their corporate travel. CTM’s sustainability tools have been at the forefront of smarter data, decisions, measurement across the whole lifecycle of a business trip.
CTM is excited to strengthen its partnership with RDC Aviation, a leading airline data analytics company, to deliver actionable SAF scores in Lightning for our customers.
“The SAF Rating provides CTM customers with additional context to help them make informed decisions about the sustainable travel options available to them, sitting alongside RDC’s detailed and accurate emissions data in CTM’s Lightning online booking tool. We’re proud to work with CTM to deliver meaningful insights for business travellers.” Gareth Kitching Director of Operations, RDC Aviation.
What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel?
SAF works in the same way as traditional jet fuel, which you’ll often hear it referred to as a “drop-in fuel”, that can be blended with jet fuel and used in commercial airlines with no significant changes to an aircraft or its engine. Today, SAF can be made in three ways, as a biofuel, a waste fuel, or synthetic “e-Fuel”.
- Biofuel: Where crops can be grown and fermented to turn sugar or fat into ethanol.
- Waste Fuel: Used cooking oils, greases and other oils can be refined into jet fuel.
- E-Fuels: Where electricity is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, with the hydrogen then combined with carbon dioxide to make drop-in hydrocarbons like diesel and jet fuel.
The International Aviation Travel Authority (IATA) estimates that SAF could contribute around 65% of the reduction in emissions needed by aviation to reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. The largest acceleration is expected in the 2030s as policy support becomes global.
SAF scores – What are they made of?
To provide the most comprehensive assessment of airline SAF adoption, the scores displayed in Lightning, provided by RDC Aviation include several different data points, including but not limited to:
- Partnership/development: Agreements between an airline and one provider to test, develop and/or produce SAF.
- SAF offtake agreement: Arrangement between the airline and producer to purchase SAF.
- Stake in production: Partnership in the SAF production (airline as a partner in the company).
- CO2 offset: Airline and/or passenger offset carbon emissions.
- Sustainability programme: SAF as a criteria of the airline sustainability programme.
- Efficiency of their fleet: Reflection of investment in modern, efficient equipment and aircraft.
A key factor to scoring is the commitment of airlines to sustainable aviation which includes goals for future use of SAF. The specific metrics and data captured by RDC Aviation as part of this assessment and scoring include data on 250 leading world airlines that show:
- Current percentage: Volume of SAF used, which could be network-wide, or, if available, on a particular route shown in Lightning.
- Commitment percentage: Volume of SAF committed to purchase. This could be network-wide or on a shown route.
- Commitment date: The specific date the SAF commitment will be implemented.
How can CTM customers use SAF scores?
Lightning users will be able to see SAF scores for all 250+ leading airlines when viewing flight results, alongside other critical flight information used to determine an appropriate choice such as price, in-policy status, seat availability, granular carbon emissions, and other planned data such as on-time performance.
Users can sort results by SAF score, highlighting those airlines with AAA SAF scores first. CTM will also be making the SAF scores available to travel managers upon request who wish to incorporate the data into their preferred airline review and contracting process or airline RFPs.
The addition of SAF scores further strengthens Lightning’s sustainability features including carbon emissions for air, hotel and car; the ability to filter and preference car results for EV and hybrid vehicles and the ability to sort flights, hotels and cars by lowest emissions.
Start making more informed sustainable choices today with Lightning SAF scores.
Request a demo today.