Indonesia to launch 1% SAF blend on international flights in 2027

Indonesia plans to introduce a mandatory 1% blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on international flights departing from its two busiest airports from 2027, the Transport Ministry said, marking the country's first step toward decarbonising its aviation sector.

The initial rollout will apply to international flights operating from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport near Jakarta and I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, the ministry's Director of Airworthiness and Aircraft Operations, Sokhib Al Rokhman, said in a statement on Sunday.

"It will apply only to two airports with international flights: Soekarno-Hatta and I Gusti Ngurah Rai International airports," he said.

The programme will depend on the availability of SAF supplies from state energy company Pertamina, which is expanding production capacity at several domestic refineries, Sokhib said.

Indonesia has opted to begin with a 1% blend to ensure the fuel can be introduced safely and in compliance with international aviation standards, even as some countries have adopted higher blending mandates.

The ministry said SAF was successfully tested on Pelita Air's Airbus A320 aircraft on Jakarta-Denpasar and Denpasar-Jakarta routes between August and December 2025.

The six-month commercial trial found no technical issues, and the use of SAF required no modifications to aircraft engines, with testing conducted at Garuda Maintenance Facility's engine test facility, Sokhib said.

Following the introduction of the 1% blend, the government will evaluate the programme before considering gradual increases in the blending ratio.

Indonesia aims to raise the SAF blend to about 30%-50% by 2060 as part of broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector and support its target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak